No degree, no worries

"My grandfather was a Chowdhury, how can I be a carpenter?"—a classic Bangladeshi mindset, where jobs involving tools, wheels, or grease are treated like social demotion. Never mind that most of our glorious ancestors were humble farmers who proudly worked with their hands. Fast-forward to 2025, and we now act like fixing a pipe or driving a bus will dishonour the entire family tree. A plumber earning more than a master's degree holder? Blasphemy! In our society, job choices are less about passion or pay, and more about imaginary judgment from long-deceased forefathers sipping tea in heaven. So, we queue up for jobless degrees while quietly looking down on the ones actually earning.

Recently, one of my companies signed a deal with an Australian government agency to bring TAFE (Technical and Further Education) to Bangladesh, yes, that "not-so-respected" vocational training we love to laugh at while sipping our coffee. During my visit, a senior manager informed me that they require 20,000 welders for their submarine plant. But there is a twist: they must know how to weld and speak English.

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We thought, "Perfect! Let's reach out to English-medium schools and colleges." But alas, disaster. No student, or more importantly, no parent, would ever imagine their child becoming a welder or carpenter, even if it meant good money, a pathway to a university in Australia and a secure job. After all, these kids are being trained to be CEOs straight out of the womb, even if it takes three degrees and no actual job!

A recent 9 News Australia report highlights that top-paying jobs no longer require a university degree. Professions such as rope-access technicians, miners, construction workers, and drill rig operators earn between A$90,000 and over A$170,000 annually, often with just a few weeks or months of certified training. Many of these careers are accessed through TAFE programmes, which offer fast-tracked, industry-recognised skills. In fact, trade apprentices are now earning more than many university graduates, with higher employment rates six months after completing their training. The report reflects a cultural shift where vocational jobs, once considered low-status, are now celebrated for their financial rewards and job security. It sends a clear message: practical skills can often outshine academic degrees in terms of both pay and prestige.

In Australia and most developed countries, dignity and income are often linked to skill, rather than job title. But in Bangladesh, we are still stuck in a caste-like academic mindset, proudly polishing degrees while ignoring the value of hands-on work. As AI takes over routine tasks, big employers are reducing the number of entry-level hires, leaving fresh graduates jobless with impressive CVs but little practical experience. Meanwhile, there is a severe shortage of skilled workers in construction, healthcare, and other essential sectors. So, while our graduates are busy updating their LinkedIn headline for the tenth time, a trained construction worker or caregiver is already employed, earning well, and too busy to worry about hashtags.

Bangladesh has the opportunity to replicate this success for the local as well as the international market. As Industry 4.0 takes hold and automation changes everything, the demand for skilled trades, electricians, plumbers, solar panel technicians, refrigeration mechanics, and industrial cooks will only grow. The key is to respect vocational work, modernise our training institutions, and break the stigma attached to "servant". The term itself needs a makeover from "kajer lok" (servant) to "specialist".

We don't need more MBAs with PowerPoint fluency. We need master carpenters, code-welders, and solar engineers to address the current level of unemployment. Let's stop asking "do you have a degree?" and start asking "can you do the job?"

The writer is the president of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh and founder of BuildCon Consultancies Ltd