Dhaka:CARE Bangladesh, in collaboration with its partner organizations, has initiated a skills development training program targeting 245,000 young women and men aged 18 to 35. This program is part of the Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET (EARN) Project.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the programme was inaugurated by Md. Aminul Haque, State Minister for Youth and Sports, during the Youth and Employers Meet at the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) in Sobhanbagh, Dhaka. The initiative aims to provide technical, entrepreneurship, and socio-emotional skills training to young individuals not currently engaged in education, employment, or training (NEET), to enhance their access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The EARN Project is being executed by the Department of Youth Development (DYD) under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, with support from the World Bank. During the event, Aminul Haque highlighted the government's focus on creating employment opportunities and the importance of aligning young people's skills with labor market needs. He also called for enhanced collaboration among the government, private sector, development partners, and training providers to facilitate practical pathways into employment and entrepreneurship.
Kazi Moklesur Rahman, the EARN Project Director and Additional Secretary, stated that the primary objective of the skills training is to enable employment and income generation. He emphasized the project's role in equipping young people with relevant skills to ease their transition into the workforce.
Ram Das, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh, noted that direct engagement with employers would ensure the training remains aligned with market demand. Earl R. Miller, Senior Strategic Advisor to CARE Bangladesh, remarked that EARN is designed not only as a training program but also as a means to build resilience by transforming potential into viable livelihoods.
Rawnak Jahan, World Bank Implementation Specialist, stressed the need to expand economic opportunities for young women and ensure their meaningful participation in the workforce. The event facilitated discussions between young people and employers regarding the discrepancies between available skills and workplace requirements, with employers sharing the qualifications they seek while young participants discussed their job search experiences and challenges.