Nationwide AI Training Program Inaugurated, Initiative to Skill 1,600 Young People

The training program was inaugurated on Sunday (August 2) as the chief guest at an event organized at the Mom-In Auditorium in Bogura by the Minister of State for Youth and Sports, Md. Aminul Haque.

The event was also attended by the Minister of State for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shah Alam, as an opener. The Minister of State for Public Administration, Md. Abdul Bari, joined as the keynote speaker virtually.

Additionally, the event was attended by Razaul Karim Badsha, Member of Parliament for Bogura-6 constituency; Mosharraf Hossain, MP for Bogura-4; Abdul Muhit Talukdar, MP for Bogura-3; Reserved Women's Member of Parliament, Suraiya Jerin Roni; Deputy Commissioner Tawfiqur Rahman; Police Superintendent Mirza Sayem Mahmud; Administrator of the District Council, Ahsanul Tayyab Zakir; the Project Director; and representatives of the training-providing organization.

The event was presided over by Mahbub-ul-Alam, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Nearly two thousand trainees from various districts across the country, along with project officials, trainers, and coordinators, participated virtually.

In his inaugural speech, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque said the government is working to prepare the country's youth for a technology-dependent workplace by acquiring artificial intelligence-based skills. This training will create new opportunities for employment and self-employment. He also mentioned plans to establish 10 international-standard sports villages in Bogura and various other locations across the country.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam stated that the government's initiative for technology-based skill development will play a vital role in expanding employment opportunities at the local level. He called on trainees to utilize their acquired skills to create new employment opportunities.

Joining virtually, State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari said such training programs are a timely initiative for developing skilled human resources dependent on information technology. He emphasized acquiring skills through regular participation.

Masud Alam, Managing Director of e-Learning and Earning Limited, informed that trainees under the project will have the opportunity to use various modern AI tools, enabling them to acquire the necessary skills according to the demands of the domestic and international job markets.

In his concluding remarks, Mahbub-ul-Alam, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, stated that the primary objective of this project is to equip tech-savvy youth with skills in artificial intelligence technology. This will enhance technology-based employment, self-employment, entrepreneurship, and the capacity to earn foreign currency.

The event informed that in the first phase of the project, a total of 1,600 trainees, 25 from each of the country's 64 districts, have been selected. Training will be conducted in 448 batches, with 25 participants in each batch. Each two-month course will provide a total of 300 hours of training through 50 classes.

Meanwhile, under the ongoing freelancing project of the Department of Youth Development, laptops were handed over to the top eight earners at the divisional level. Additionally, commemorative crests were given to 24 successful freelancers from various districts of the Rajshahi division.