In a significant move to enhance the skills of workers in Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) sector, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), in collaboration with the World Bank-funded ASSET project, has trained over 4,600 workers through its Enterprise-Based Training (EBT) programme. The programme, implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education under the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education, aims to develop demand-driven skilled manpower and improve productivity in the garment industry.
A workshop was held at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara to review the progress of the EBT programme and distribute certificates to successful trainees. Technical and Madrasah Education Division Secretary Md Daud Mia attended the event as the chief guest, while BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan presided over the function.
Under the joint BGMEA-ASSET initiative, a total of 4,632 trainees have been enrolled through 193 batches across three training cycles. Certificates were awarded to 2,328 trainees from 97 batches under the second and third cycles, while the fourth cycle, comprising 96 batches, is currently underway.
Secretary Md Daud Mia emphasized the importance of skilled human resources in achieving Bangladesh's national economic goals. He highlighted the significant contribution of the BGMEA-ASSET collaboration in enhancing productivity and workforce capacity in the garment sector. The secretary also urged BGMEA to provide recommendations for future programmes aimed at strengthening industry-academia collaboration and producing demand-based skilled manpower.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan stressed the need for the garment industry to become more skilled and technologically advanced to keep pace with global competition and rapid technological changes. He described the Enterprise-Based Training model as a proven approach to improving workplace skills and thanked the government for supporting human resource development through the ASSET and other projects.
