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Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise and Skills Development Systems (ProGRESS): Feminizing Bangladesh’s Skills and Enterprise Systems and Labour Market - Midterm evaluation

eval_number:

3337

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/3337

location:

country:

Bangladesh

region:

Asia and the Pacific

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eval_title:

Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise and Skills Development Systems (ProGRESS): Feminizing Bangladesh’s Skills and Enterprise Systems and Labour Market - Midterm evaluation

recommendations:

date:

2026-05-24 00:00:00.0

themes:

theme:

Organizational issues

category:

Planning and programme design

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action_plan:

The Project shall focus on: • Scaling the Industrial Attachment System which after the second pilot will be replicated nationwide by TMED. Once applied nationwide, given the existence of the mandate and the agreement with the TMED and BTEB, the remodelling of the industrial attachment will benefit at least 50,000 diploma students per year, allowing the government to achieve better ROI for the 750M BDT or USD6M invested annually for the traditional industry attachment which in its current state becoming a tick box system only. • Scaling of dissemination of Apprenticeship System; and Activation of the Tri-Partite Advisory Committee for Apprenticeship as provided in the amended Labour Act. Once aligned with ILO’s Recommendations on Quality apprenticeship, this will set the foundation for the mandated nationwide application of this training modality. And this is aligned with the TVET implementation plan of the government. • Roll out of Graduate Tracking and Management. The software has been development already. Once roll out nationwide, this will allow the government track down the training outcomes of all TVET graduates – to start with, and thereby enable the government make informed decisions on improvement of training systems based on the training outcomes and performance of various TVET institutions. This is aligned with the 5-year TVET Implementation Plan of the Government. • Scaling, consolidation and setting up of sustainability mechanism for the Gender Skills Task Force. To elevate to the level whereby at the minimum gender mainstreaming criteria is included in the approval of all development cooperation projects by the Economic Relations Division, the guidelines for teaching and curriculum received government order for national application; and Gender Responsive Budgeting and Reporting are institutionalized. • Scaling and development of Strategies for Community-Based Tourism and its adoption by 3 hill district councils and Sylhet district; • Consolidation of Business Development Services, – offline and online, adopted by SMEF and women chamber of commerce.

management_response:

Completed

progress:

Partially achieved

admin_units:

CO-Dhaka

title:

The project should shift focus from aiming to reach the target number of beneficiaries towards identification of innovative “proof of concept” models for replication and scale-up. While the initial target of reaching 10,000 beneficiaries is considered achievable, the evalution concludes it may be more strategic to place greater emphasis on piloting and identifying innovative models that have strong potential for replication and scale-up, thereby amplifying the project’s systemic impact, even if that is at the expense of reaching less beneficiaries. This approach would capitalize on the ILO’s comparative advantages, particularly its unique capacity to connect skills development with labor market demand by directly engaging employers. While reductions in the number of beneficiaries may affect the project's short-term reach, this approach could significantly strengthen its credibility and long-term impact/reach. Furthermore, the refocused strategy should pay particular attention to identifying and promoting innovative solutions that demonstrably work for women and other vulnerable populations. By prioritizing the identification of catalytic and successful gender-responsive and inclusive approaches, the project can inform broader national efforts and have a greater impact on addressing structural inequalities while ensuring that its interventions lead to broader social and economic transformation. By focusing on the specific strengths of its mandate, in the link between skills training and employment, the ILO would enhance the relevance and visibility of its work in Bangladesh’s evolving development landscape. The transition from small-scale pilot initiatives to broader, scalable “proof of concept” models represent a critical next step for ensuring that the lessons learned through the project translate into meaningful and lasting impact. Pilots have played a crucial role in testing innovative approaches, generating valuable insights, and demonstrating what is possible in specific contexts. However, without deliberate strategies to scale them up, their influence remains limited to localized successes rather than contributing to systemic change. Moving towards scale requires more than replication. It involves distilling key lessons from pilot experiences and transforming them into actionable roadmaps that can guide long-term progress. This includes identifying the conditions under which interventions are most effective, adapting models to different contexts, and securing the institutional buy-in necessary for wider adoption. Importantly, scaling also calls for stronger alignment with national policies, sectoral strategies, and the priorities of government and social partners, ensuring that interventions are embedded within existing systems rather than operating in parallel to them. The ILO’s comparative advantage positions it well to drive this process. Its ability to link skills development with labor market demand, through direct engagement with employers and industry associations, provides a unique platform to ensure that scaled initiatives are not only relevant but also sustainable. Leveraging partnerships with the government, the private sector, and training institutions will be key to mobilizing the resources and networks required for expansion. At the same time, scaling up should place particular emphasis on inclusion and equity. The design of scalable models must ensure that women, youth, and vulnerable populations are not left behind but are actively prioritized. Innovative approaches that demonstrate a measurable impact for these groups, such as those with the Bangladesh tourism board, should be highlighted and promoted as part of the scaling strategy, and new partners identified (for example, in this case, UNESCO could be brought on board). Ultimately, the transition from pilot to scale should be viewed as an opportunity to consolidate the project’s legacy, building pathways for long-term skills

project_symbols:

BGD/20/05/CAN

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/recommendations/2370894

information_source:

Country Office

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