Support in occupational standards/curricula modernisation in industrial and environmental safety and SE; ToTs and piloting

Since the 1990s, Bangladesh has made steady development progress and aims to achieve middle-income status by 2031 and become an industrialised nation by 2041. However, economic growth has not sufficiently translated into formal employment, particularly for youth and women. In 2024, frustration over limited job prospects culminated in mass protests, triggering political upheaval. Women's participation in the formal sector remains low at 4.6% (compared to 17.7% for men), and gender pay gaps persist. Many workers face unsafe conditions. Meanwhile, international compliance demands, particularly from the EU, are rising. Regulations such as the Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) require robust risk management and adherence to human rights and environmental standards. For Bangladesh to remain competitive and access high-value markets, the country must improve industrial and environmental safety and build related expertise. The core problem is that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector in Bangladesh is not sufficiently equipped to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in the field of industrial and environmental safety. At the same time, rapid economic growth in Bangladesh, has increased demand for affordable electricity. Renewable Energy (RE) is intended to play a central role in future energy generation. While RE accounts for about 5% of installed capacity, it contributes less than 2% to actual electricity generation. The national target is 40% RE in the energy mix by 2041. However, the TVET system is not adequately prepared for this transformation. A significant increase in skilled labour is required, including professionals for planning, installation, operation, and maintenance of RE technologies, as well as for energy efficiency and management. Despite recent reforms, many TVET programmes remain outdated and overly theory-oriented. In addition, there is a shortage of qualified trainers with relevant practical experience and cooperation mechanisms between TVET institutions and companies are insufficiently developed. In this context, GIZ Project "Professional Education in Industrial and Environmental Safety" (PRECISE) focuses at supporting of practice- and demand-oriented TVET in the field of industrial and environmental safety that are closely aligned with EU sustainability requirements. The "Vocational Training in the Field of Renewable Energy" (TVET4RE) project, for its part, supports the alignment of Bangladesh"s TVET system with the emerging labour-market demand in the sustainable energy sector. PRECISE is structured into 3 outputs: 1) Steering capacities for better cooperation between TVET institutions and industry 2) Capacity Development for the implementation of cooperative TVET programmes in industrial and environmental safety 3) Transition to practical vocational training/employment for girls/women TVET4RE has 4 outputs: 1) Improved information base on supply and demand in TVET 2) Capacity development for TVET stakeholders 3) Improved secondary/higher secondary TVET 4) Improved diploma programmes The joint tender procedure ensures that both projects support the political partner, the Ministry of Education (MoE), in a consistent and coordinated manner, combining elements of PRECISE and TVET4RE: - The adaptation and development of occupational/competency standards and curricula with regard to industrial and environmental safety, as well as sustainable energy - Training of teaching and management staff - Development of teaching and learning materials - Establishment of structured cooperation mechanisms between piloting TVET institutions and companies - Support of implementation of revised programmes and courses at the piloting training institutions (Polytechnic Institutes and Vocational Schools) The services to be provided contribute to the overall objectives of the projects - PRECISE: The TVET sector in Bangladesh offers practice-oriented, demand-based initial and continuing vocational education and training in the field of industrial and environmental safety, in line with EU sustainability requirements, and - TVET4RE: The Bangladeshi TVET system is more strongly geared towards the needs of the emerging labour market in the sustainable energy sector. The contractor is responsible for achieving the expected results of Output 2 of the PRECISE and Outputs 3 and 4 of the TVET4RE. Output 2 of PRECISE aims to build capacities in selected TVET institutions and companies to implement demand-based, cooperative TVET courses in the fields of industrial and environmental health and safety. This objective is based on the results hypothesis supported by various studies that cooperative TVET designed in close consultation with companies significantly increases both demand and practice orientation and the quality of training courses. Another hypothesis is that 1) the development and application of curricula that link school-based and in-company training phases in a didactically appropriate manner, and 2) suitably qualified managers and teachers at TVET schools and in-company trainers in partner companies, and a clear distribution of roles within formalised partnerships between TVET schools and their partner companies are prerequisites for increasing the quality and relevance of the supported TVET courses . To be achieved by the contractor: 8 demand-oriented training and continuing training offers in the field of industrial and environmental safety are available for implementation within the framework of cooperative vocational training models (2.1) and 100 teaching, training, and management staff, 30% of whom are women, are qualified at TVET institutions and partner companies to implement cooperative training training offers in the field of industrial and environmental safety (2.2) Output 3 of TVET4RE (Training offers in the vocational branch of Secondary Education and Advanced Certificate Courses are expanded by elements of sustainable energy) expands training offers in the vocational branch of secondary education (SSC Voc/Secondary School Certificate -Vocational Stream and HSC Voc/Higher Secondary Certificate - Vocational Stream) to include elements of sustainable energy and develops new Advanced Certificate Courses, ranging between HSC Voc and Diploma Programmes, on the subject. This is a targeted response to the high demand for skilled labour in activities of manageable complexity, such as maintenance and repair. To be achieved by the contractor: 3 gender-responsive secondary education curricula expanded by elements of sustainable energy, 2 new Advanced Certificate Courses developed on the topic of sustainable energy and 90 students and graduates of vocational schools, 25 of them women, possess theoretical knowledge and practical competencies in the field of sustainable energy Output 4 of TVET4RE (Improved diploma programmes) expands existing diploma training programmes to include elements of sustainable energy and thus follows the same results logic as Output 3. By revising existing diploma training programmes, future middle-level technical managers will acquire relevant skills in the areas of planning, installation, operation, distribution and EE. To be achieved by the contractor: 3 gender-responsive adapted diploma curricula that include theoretical knowledge and practical competencies in the field of sustainable energy (4.1) and 120 students and graduates of Polytechnic Institutes, 40 of them women, possess theoretical knowledge and practical competencies in the field of sustainable energy. Key Work Packages and activities: Work package 1 Revision/development of 16 occupational/competency standards and corresponding curricula in the areas of industrial and environmental safety as well as sustainable energy, including development of teaching and learning materials. Activities: - Mobilisation of the private sector, ensuring its representative involvement in occupational/competency standards and curricula development - Organisation of curriculum development and validation workshops for SSC Voc/HSC Voc and Diploma Programmes as well as Advanced Certificate Courses - Development of teaching, learning and examination materials Work package 2 Technical and pedagogical teacher training at piloting TVET institutions and preparation of master trainers; Support of enrolment and implementation of new or revised TVET offers Activities: - Training Needs Assessment of TVET teachers and in-company trainers - Design of ToT programmes - Implementation of ToT sessions jointly with Master Trainers - Provide enrolment and initial implementation support to piloting TVET institutions Work package 3 Strengthening cooperation between TVET Institutions and the private sector Activities: - Facilitate linkages between TVET institutions and local companies to provide students with internships/workplace learning places - Identify in-company trainers - Support TVET institutions in formalising and institutionalising cooperation models