"Beyond Boundaries: Women's Triumph in Non-Conventional Fields"

In Bangladesh, women constitute a significant portion of the workforce, although they still face probable obstacles and barriers that stand in their way towards unconventional careers. Statistically, the World Bank reported that women’s labor force participation rate in Bangladesh was 43% in 2022, which is too low as compared to men's. Discrimination against women in the workplace is not only a sign of systemic barriers that women face in employment but also a demonstration of their lag behind men in the labor market. Certain norms, standards that society expects, economic differences, and inaccessibility to education and training are the factors that play a vital role in the gap between the genders in the world of work.

An important problem that women face in Bangladesh is that the traditional gender roles and stereotypes, which dictate what jobs are appropriate for a woman to do, are still working today. Inherent in cultural norms, the role of women is mostly to serve as caretakers and wives, which limits their desire for career growth. Such limitation of thoughts allows just one kind of thinking, associated with preciseness, technical literacy, and physical strength, as modern industry belongs to men more.

Further, there is a situation where economic disparity gives added problems to women regarding education and vocational training. Disadvantaged women are the most vulnerable group, as they often cannot access financial resources and lack the support systems and capacity to commence education in higher institutions or take vocational training. The restricted supply of good education is the reason why the gap between girls and boys gets wider, especially because of cultural and premonitory factors. Sharmin Akhtar showcases the transformation through her story – a tale of perseverance, resilience, and the transformative power of skill development programmes.

In a community where women usually have rather narrow options in life because of societal and economic barriers, Sharmin's case becomes a light flickering in the darkness. Her humble upbringing with a dad, who was an electrician, impelled Sharmin to face lots of setbacks on her way to attaining her education and getting a better job. However, she never gave up hoping to make something better for herself and would subsequently put her family duties and lack of finances ahead of formal education at the end of her eighth-grade studies.

The traditional way of life Sharmin observed for many females in her country was to live with marriage, and domesticity was not a choice. Nonetheless, life, as always, had its own plans. After participating in the Apprentice-based Skills Training in the BRAC Skill Development Programme in 2019, she needed a rope to fly, which was a gift she got—an opportunity to break the mold and forge her own way. This programme, specifically meant to empower less privileged people by giving technical education in many trades, helped Sharmin to visualize the way she could become self-reliant.

Leaving aside society's norms, Sharmin began her six-month-long IT Support Technician training, which BRAC offered. This decision did not come in the absence of challenges. In a society where some vocations are still considered inappropriate jobs for women, Sharmin had to confront the doubts and the resistance of the community. However, the voice of disbelievers did not put her out of the game. Instead, she kept on searching for ways to improve her and her family’s quality of life.

Having completed her training, the story of Sharmin developed a very interesting plot. Equipped with the skills and confidence she had just acquired, she managed to secure a job at Saikat Computer and daunt the norms of a masculine industry where she was not welcome. Not only did she receive commendation for her devotion, but in September 2023, she celebrated the opening of her first shop, Digital Park.

Nowadays, Sharmin's journey is regarded as an example—an expression of the fact that women's skill development programmes can make a woman strong and break social gender division in the labor force. Through her experience with the BRAC skill development programme, she provides us with a striking illustration of how such programmes are instrumental in empowering women to build their careers in fields that may not be considered traditionally the most appropriate for them.

On the other hand, Sharmin's story also throws a light on the troubles that women are grappling with in the workplace in Bangladesh. Age-old gender stereotypes and cultural behaviors reinforce the view that specific jobs are for men while women are engaged in home and family responsibilities. Beyond that, economic disproportionate also aggravates those obstacles, as women from low-income backgrounds encounter greater difficulties accessing education and employment opportunities.

To effectively empower women in unorthodox roles, there have to be coordinated approaches through which these systems can be tackled. Initiatives aimed at challenging gender norms, promoting equal access to education and training, and providing support for women entrepreneurs are essential. The other dimension of this is to guarantee that female contributions are celebrated and awarded, especially in sectors that are considered male domains.

Sharmin's life depicts that a Bangladeshi woman is not only brave but also can fight against any kind of adversity and struggle if she gets access to fair chances and necessary support. As we celebrate her successes by overcoming the obstacles women have faced over the years, I want to commit that we break down barriers that hold women back from their dreams; therefore, every woman can chase her dream and realize her potential in the labor market. We can do it together and grow a world where the extent of gender does not determine the chance. In this way, women like Sharmin can make their own path and achieve success accordingly.