Learning for job opportunities : an assessment of the vocational education and training in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has made considerable progress in its economic development, presently reaching high average growth of nearly 6 percent. This economic growth has been accompanied by an annual employment growth rate of about 5 percent between 1996 and 2006. Increasing rate of female labor participation, generation of industrial sector employment triggered by growth in foreign direct investment, and public workfare programs that create non-farm employment in the rural areas have all contributed to this increase. In order to accelerate this growth process, Bangladesh's National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction appropriately identifies the need to promote vocational training and skill development. This report attempts to contribute to a better understanding of Bangladesh's labor market dynamics and its interaction with the vocational education and training system.