Bangla Press Desk: The Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) project, being implemented under the Directorate of Technical Education, has achieved major progress in developing the country's employable skills.
According to a release of the Directorate under the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education, more than 225,000 people have completed Short Course and Enterprise-based Training (EBT) under the project between February and August 2026, with women accounting for nearly 57.9 per cent of the trainees.
The figure shows a significant expansion of skills development efforts at a time when improving employability and aligning training with the needs of industry have become increasingly important for Bangladesh’s workforce, the release said.
The ASSET project recorded a total of 225,336 training completers during the period. Of them, 130,470 were women and 94,866 were men. The number of female trainees was 35,604 higher than that of male trainees.
The programme also included 4,080 members of ethnic minority communities and 779 persons with disabilities, bringing groups that often face additional barriers to education and employment into the skills development process.
The training was delivered through two major streams — Short Courses and Enterprise-Based Training (EBT), designed to provide participants with practical skills relevant to employment.
The Short Course component consists of 360 hours of institution-based vocational training. The course has been offered through selected government Technical Schools and Colleges, government Technical Training Centres, Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC), Regional Population Training Institutes (RPTIs), Regional Training Centres (RTCs), specialised government technical institutions and selected private training providers.
Short Course has been imparted to 21,702 people during the period. Of the participants 38.87 per cent were females.
According to the Directorate, unlike conventional classroom-based learning, the courses place emphasis on practical exercises, hands-on training and occupation-specific skills. The objective is to ensure that the trainees leave the programme with abilities they can use in the workplace.
The much larger EBT programme has taken the training directly into the industrial and business environment. Through industry partners, including Industry Skills Councils, industry associations and Chambers of Commerce and Industry, 203,634 people completed EBT programmes. Women represented around 59.93 per cent of the participants.
The training model varies according to the requirements of different industries. In some cases, the entire programme is conducted within an actual factory or production environment. In others, half of the training is delivered through selected Skills Training Providers, while the remaining half is completed through apprenticeships in industrial establishments.
That approach gives trainees exposure to much more than technical skills. It offers practical knowledge about working with modern technology, production systems, maintaining discipline in the workplace and adhering to occupational safety standards. Above all, participants benefit from a training environment where the skills they develop can be directly applied to jobs.
The experience is also helping narrow the gap between training institutions and employers. By involving industry bodies directly in training, the EBT model strengthens the relationship between industries and skills training providers and contributes to a closer Industry-Academia connection. After finishing both the trainings, participants are assessed and certified by the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA).
The magnitude of the programme is quite considerable, but the figures do not reveal its full significance. It is the significance that is hidden in the fact of whom the programme brings into the skills development system. The strong participation of women, along with the inclusion of ethnic minority communities and persons with disabilities, indicates an effort to make vocational training more accessible to people from different social and economic backgrounds.
The government is now seeking to build on these gains. Following a request, the World Bank formally agreed to extend and restructure the ASSET project. The project period has been extended by 18 months, up to June 30, 2028.
The extended period will focus on expanding both Short Course and EBT programmes and increasing training opportunities in occupations that reflect current industry demand as well as the jobs likely to emerge in the future.
According to the Directorate, greater attention will be given to increasing participation among women and disadvantaged groups while transparency in trainee selection and enrolment will receive stronger emphasis, while digital information management and progress monitoring will be strengthened. Quality assurance will be another priority.
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