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The academy’s first batch graduates already secured their jobs with Unilever’s distributor line
In Bangladesh, youth unemployment is one of the major challenges to the country’s sustainable development.
It also suffocates the youth’s boundless vitality and potential and to support the Bangladesh government in addressing the issue with skill development, Unilever Bangladesh launched ‘Unilever Frontliners Academy’ (UFA), its first-ever platform for unemployed youth, with only a high school certification, according to a press release.
The platform aims at up-skilling the youth and assisting them in obtaining frontline sales and marketing jobs in the FMCG industry.
This initiative is also in line with the company’s social promise of upskilling 10 million youth globally for better opportunities.
The academy’s first batch, consisting of 34 graduates, has already completed their training courses, and secured jobs with Unilever’s distributors.
On November 8, Unilever officially recognized the 34 graduates through a ceremony, handing out certificates at Divine Distribution and Co. Khilgaon in the capital.
Tanzeen Ferdous, marketing director of Unilever; Mushfique Shahriar, senior territory manager and Md Ahsanul Kabir Palash Chowdhury, CD and DFF capability development manager were among the guests present at the ceremony.
According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, about 33% of the total population in Bangladesh is between the age of 18-35 years.
The country is in a unique position to benefit from the demographic dividend, despite the fact that organizations seek skilled resources, the youth are not being educated in the appropriate skills that are in demand.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), due to the pandemic, the global youth unemployment rate has risen to 15%.
In order to aid in skill development as part of the solution to this challenge, Unilever Bangladesh is the first company to adopt such an initiative across the globe.
The first phase began on October 10 this year, where 70 students with only a class 10 qualification applied for the program.
Through written assessments concentrating on analytical abilities and an interview to assess communication skills and job suitability, 36 students were chosen for the free training program.
The program includes a two-week course that educates unemployed youth on how to become sales officers.
Contents from sales negotiations, channel management, incentive programs, merchandising, and other topics are taught through a combination of instructor-led classroom training, market visits to put theory into practice, and finally apprenticeship opportunity, performing the real task to gain first-hand experience.
The second phase, with 43 students, is now underway at Joypurhat. The training takes place in each quarter of the year and is divided into regions.
Following its success in Bangladesh, Unilever is extending the initiative to other countries, including Pakistan and Africa.
The program began in Pakistan on October 8, 2021, and very soon in Africa.
“With the pilot learnings from Dhaka, we are now going to roll this out in Pakistan and other African countries, in our first phase of rollout”, said Tanzeen Ferdous.
“From the pilot program, we learned that the academy provides a safe environment for women to first learn and experience the job, without fully committing to it. Thus, through this platform the contribution of women intake in the team is expected to double”, he added.
Unilever aims to work with development organizations to expand this initiative, which will help to meet its worldwide social promise of upskilling 10 million youth for better opportunities.
(DT)
