Reskilling and Upskilling Essential to Deal with 4IR

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is giving a new dimension to world civilization.

The process and potential of this revolution are already being widely discussed worldwide. We must create skilled manpower by making Bangladesh suitable for leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The fourth industrial revolution is the fusion of physical, digital, and biological spheres. Here, physical is human, biological is nature, and digital is technology.

It is becoming difficult to separate these three. What is happening as a result? What kind of change is happening in society? As a result, intellectualization is taking place, the human machine is interfacing, and realism and virtuality are becoming one. If we want to prepare for our fourth industrial revolution, we have to put things like emotional intelligence, physical intelligence, social intelligence, and contest intelligence in their heads.

There is a shortage of skilled programmers in our country. Technology is changing very fast in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. New technology is bringing more new technology. Combining different technologies is changing the economy, society, business, and personal life. The instruments will talk to each other, know what the situation is, and take action accordingly. 

Bangladesh has given utmost importance to technical education. In the future, Bangladesh and the world will need more skilled manpower. Those who go abroad have to become proficient in technical matters, and that is why our education system has changed with the importance of technical education. The government assists non-governmental organizations by imparting technical training. Skilled manpower is most important for building a country. This is what we always think, and we are working to create skilled manpower. We should develop manpower so that they can compete anywhere in the competitive world and utilize the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Now, the fourth industrial revolution is widely discussed around the world. The first industrial revolution began with the discovery of railways, steam engines, and machinery in production. The Second Industrial Revolution began with power generation. The third industrial revolution, also known as the computer or digital revolution. Small and powerful sensors, mobile internet, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are the main forces of the fourth revolution. 

The machine is being intelligent through artificial intelligence or machine learning. The device's capacity is much higher than the human brain's, and its processing capacity is much faster. Due to the Internet, the scope of its activities has expanded a lot. An intelligent computer sitting in Bangladesh can command an instrument from any country, measure the temperature of a room, and order to increase or decrease the temperature. However, there is a need for people to provide services that have a human touch. On the other hand, the demand for skilled people is increasing due to the need for merit-based professions such as programmers, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), etc. 

People can also send or receive information online by rubbing their clothes. Computer processing capacity is increasing, and prices are decreasing. Sensors or chips are being used in various electrical appliances, and they can communicate with each other. The Internet of Things, or IoT, can send messages to people through the Internet. Much research is being done on IoT in the developed world. Through the internet, your car, home AC, and fridge will be turned on automatically at the specified time, setting the desired temperature in the room. The robot will be able to prepare breakfast in the microwave from the fridge. The fridge can scan food stored inside it, consider eating habits, and place orders in online e-commerce. Chips will be placed in the animal's body, and the cattle's physical condition, disease, breeding season, etc., are known in advance, and action is taken accordingly. 

Digitization is now creating a lot of data, where you are going and spending time, and your smart car is getting the data. Your bank account, mobile, wallet, and credit card can match your expenses. What we see is that smartphones and smart TVs have data. These data could not be saved earlier. Now, keeping in the cloud is easy and cheap. Because of its fast-processing power, computers can quickly analyze these data and make decisions. Driverless cars will be relatively safe and efficient. They will also reduce traffic jams and pollution and reduce driver's needs. Computers are being given artificial intelligence. AI can make decisions by analyzing the data based on previous situations. Computers are first trained in how to see an object. 

The demand for computer programmers, data analysts, and people with technical knowledge and skills is increasing. The hope is that preparations have begun in advance to take advantage of the opportunities and possibilities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and to meet its challenges. Bangladesh formulates the Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, and Robotics Strategy of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In 2019, the a2i Program and the International Labor Organization (ILO) identified six areas in a joint survey to determine the possibilities and challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. These are the transformation of the traditional education system, inclusive innovation, development of research and development, simplification of government policies, utilization of skills of expatriate Bangladeshis, and branding of Bangladesh as an innovative nation.

Based on this survey, various initiatives, including cooperation in innovation at the school level and teaching programming, are being implemented. About a year ago, the Department of Information and Communication Technology started training on ten modern technologies to create skilled people. These initiatives are making us hopeful of turning the risk of the Fourth Industrial Revolution into a possibility. 

Once the organization identifies a skills gap, reskilling and upskilling training programs can better position the organization for expected workforce changes and provide a path for workers so they don't become displaced by technology. AI and automation may replace many jobs but create new ones. Around the world, many employers who are already struggling with the existing mismatch between youth skills and employer needs threaten to become even more comprehensive as the industry transforms business and jobs faster than workers can adapt. 

Technology has allowed us to connect the far reaches of technology cannot be harnessed to connect people to high-quality education and jobs; then the repercussions could be experienced broadly. Greater income inequality, increased unemployment, growing dependence on government, and more mass migrations are a few of the most pressing problems that failing to train the next generation of workers for the digitally driven economy will bring. 

Its time to invest in new, innovative ideas and approaches to upskilling youth for the future of work, not in a vacuum but in a coordinated way. They were improving the potential employment outcomes for youth demands that businesses, governments, and other key players cooperate to align educational initiatives, workforce development programs, and public policy. 

People are not equipped for the work that needs to be done and the opportunities facing 4IR. It also outlines recommendations that are taken together, as coordinated action between the organization and other stakeholders creates a strong framework for advancing the cause. But its more than a collection of ideas. 

In the face of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the IT sector in Bangladesh has emphasized various infrastructural developments, including the development of skilled human resources. Bangladesh is trying to be in the top 50 countries in the UN e-Governance Development Index for the next five years. 5 initiatives of Digital Bangladesh have been praised internationally. Digital Center, Service Innovation Fund, Empathy Training, Time-Cost-Visit (TCV), and SDGs Tracker.

With the help of information technology, young people are building small and big IT firms, e-commerce sites, app-based services, and other organizations. Besides, some big achievements, including the Bangabandhu satellite of Bangladesh in space, have taken Bangladesh to a unique height globally.

Written by Hiren Pandit

Bio: Hiren Pandit is an Essayist, Columnist, and a Research Fellow at the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) and BNNRC. He can be reached at hiren.bnnrc@gmail.com

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