Government of Bangladesh, a2i, boosts digital workforce opportunities and commits to training 250,000 youth on ‘future’ skills and to supporting 340,200 quality apprenticeships.

(Bangkok, 28 March 2019) Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in Bangkok, Bangladesh’s a2i - Innovate for All  announced its commitments to the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth (‘Decent Jobs for Youth’). a2i is the flagship programme of the Bangladesh government’s digital agenda. The programme has now pledged to train 250,000 Bangladeshi youth on digital skills and to deliver 340,200 apprenticeships by 2023.

“Bangladesh is proud to be the first government in Asia and the Pacific to commit to the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth and invites other governments to join,” said Anir Chowdhury, Policy Advisor, a2i - Innovate for All, Government of Bangladesh, at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development in Bangkok on 28 March during a side event on “Decent Jobs for Youth: Working together in Asia and the Pacific”. Decent Jobs for Youth is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together governments, social partners, the private sector, youth and civil society organizations to scale up action and impact on youth employment worldwide.

“Each year, more than two million young Bangladeshi men and women enter the labour market, in desperate need of decent jobs and livelihoods”, said Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director, ILO Bangladesh. “Our experience shows that supporting youth in their school-to-work transition, using industry-led apprenticeships and offering the latest digital skills training will help Bangladesh’s young people better prepare for the jobs of the 21st Century. We applaud this new partnership and look forward to working with the Government, employers’ organisations and young trainees to make it a long-term success.”

The commitments by a2i align with the priority for skills development in Bangladesh.  a2i - Innovate for All of the Government of Bangladesh works with a whole-of-government approach by leveraging the rapid expansion of technologies to create the right environment for demand-driven skills development in Bangladesh. Following the training on multiple digital skills, the link to employment opportunities for trained youth will be facilitated by the government, the private sector, development partners and NGOs. The quality apprenticeship programme for young people requires key industrial partners to equip apprentices with practical, on-the-job skills.

The a2i programme’s commitments to Decent Jobs for Youth builds on a multi-sectorial partnership, with a2i as the main implementing partner, and support and investment coming from the private sector and other development partners. The focus on demand-driven skills is critical to meet the needs of local and international job markets, and to equip youth with the right skills for 21^st century employment opportunities.

Digital Skills for Jobs

The commitment by a2i is aligned with Decent Jobs for Youth’s thematic priority on digital jobs for youth, which is focused on preparing youth for the future of work in the digital economy. In this context, the commitment contributes to the Digital Skills for Jobs campaign initiated by the ITU and ILO.

For more information about the commitment, please contact:

• Mr Asad-Uz-Zaman, Policy Specialist, a2i - Innovate for All, Government of Bangladesh I zaman@a2i.gov.bd


• Iqbal Nandra, Communications Specialist, ILO, Bangladesh I nandra@ilo.org


• Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth I decentjobsforyouth@ilo.org

The Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Decent Jobs for Youth was launched in 2016 as an UN System-wide effort, focusing on the youth employment challenge that is central to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Today, Decent Jobs for Youth has emerged as a global, multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together governments, social partners, the private sector, youth and civil society organizations, in an effort to scale up action and impact on youth employment. They work together to share knowledge, leverage resources and take action at country and regional level, with current commitments aimed at supporting more than 18 million young people in accessing decent work and productive employment worldwide. Commitments are pledges to tackle the critical barriers that prevent young people from accessing decent work and improve the quantity and quality of jobs, in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.