The ready-made garments (RMG) sector is the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy. It employs over 4.4 million workers and contributes more than 84 percent of the country’s export earnings, according to BGMEA, 2024. As global standards rise, the need for a more skilled, efficient, and resilient workforce has been more urgent. Yet nearly 60 percent of workers remain in low-skill positions with limited access to structured upskilling opportunities, as reported by ILO, 2023.
Many factories rely on short-term training led by external providers. These sessions often fail to make lasting improvements in productivity, job satisfaction, or worker advancement. The result is high turnover, inconsistent product quality, and missed opportunities for growth within the workforce.
The Building Youth Employability Through Skills (BYETS) project, implemented by Swisscontact and funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is addressing this challenge through workplace-based training initiatives. The project supports 25,000 young people across Bangladesh in key sectors such as RMG, agro-processing, and ICT.
Since November 2024, under the BYETS project, Innovision has been working with RMG factories to identify experienced staff with at least two years of experience in roles such as sewing, quality control, and machine maintenance. These individuals are being trained to become in-house master trainers through an eight-day course that focuses on both technical and soft skills.
Following the training, six of the most promising participants were selected for an additional three-day course of training of assessors (TOA). These assessors now monitor training progress, support on-the-job learning, and offer extra guidance to workers who need help.
With this model in place, factories now run 18-day training programs throughout the year. Workers who began as helpers are being promoted to machine operators. These advancements have boosted their income, improved their confidence, and increased their job security.
Factory managers are seeing better teamwork, higher productivity, and more motivated employees. The training is creating a culture of continuous learning and professional growth on the factory floor.
The program will continue until February/March 2026, with Innovision leading implementation and follow-up support. By investing in existing talent, the BYETS project is helping Bangladesh build a skilled and resilient RMG workforce that is ready to compete in a changing global market.