Project profile — Skills for Employment and Productivity in Bangladesh

• Bangladesh (100.00%)

• Secondary Education: Vocational training (11330) (100.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (significant objective)
• Disability (significant objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of Bangladesh's technical and vocational education and training system and make it more relevant to the market. The project benefits government agencies and their staff, employers, workers, public and private training institutions, students and trainees. It focuses particular attention on disadvantaged groups in the labour market, such as women, youth and people with disabilities. The project seeks to create a better-trained, qualified and competent workforce. It focuses on target sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, ceramics, furniture, agri-food processing and tourism, which have the potential to improve economic growth and support Bangladesh's transition to middle-income country status.

The expected intermediate outcomes of this project include: (i) improved enabling environment for increased skills development and employment to support higher value economic growth in Bangladesh; and (ii) improved planning, coordination and delivery of demand-driven, equitable and gender-sensitive competency-based training programs for key workforce segments in Bangladesh.

Results achieved as of March 2019 include: (1) 12 Industry Skills Councils were established in priority sectors (including agro food, tourism and hotel, furniture and ceramics) which enhanced the link between the demand and supply of skills in these sectors; (2) 25 national technical and vocational qualifications framework programs were developed (including five standards on green occupations); (3) the Ministry of Education announced a 5% quota for admission of people with disabilities in the public/private polytechnic institutes and technical skills colleges; and (4) 34,850 persons (of which 21,140 women) from disadvantaged groups received technical and vocational education and training, and access to employment opportunities in targeted emerging industries in Bangladesh (ceramics, furniture, agro, tourism and hospitality). These results contributed to improving the quality and effectiveness of Bangladesh's technical and vocational education and training system and making it more accessible and relevant to the market.

• Proactive disclosure