Education and Development Foundation (Educo), in partnership with Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO), organised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Ceremony with seven leading private-sector employers under the "Leveraging Youth Employment in Bangladesh through Improving their Employability and Competitiveness to Fit with the 21st Century Job Market (LIFT)" project at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center (BCFCC), Agargaon, Dhaka.

The MoU signing marks a significant step toward strengthening industry engagement in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and creating sustainable employment opportunities for skilled youth across Bangladesh, according to a media release. 

The LIFT Project is funded by ChorogUsan for Children, provides technical support through Educo, and is implemented by ESDO. The project aims to improve the employability of disadvantaged youth by providing market-driven TVET, life skills development, career guidance, and stronger employment linkages with the private sector.

The event brought together representatives from government agencies, industries, employers, TVET institutions, project partners, and TVET graduates to reinforce collaboration between skills development providers and the labour market.

During the event, Memorandums of Understanding were signed with the following seven employers representing diverse industrial sectors:

  • Aziz Air Services Ltd.
  • Dream Power Bangladesh
  • PRAN Group
  • METAL FAIRS
  • Navana CNG
  • Hotel Sarina Dhaka
  • Amari Dhaka

Mr. Afzal Kabir Khan, Manager – Child Labor Elimination at Education and Development Foundation (Educo), shared the project objectives and key achievements of projects. He emphasised that the initiative aims to equip disadvantaged youth with market-driven technical skills, ultimately leading to decent employment and sustainable livelihoods through quality TVET.

During the event, Mr. Tanvir Anwar Pony, Training & Development Manager of Xinxian Hospitality Training Institute (XHTI), highlighted the significance of the 720-hour industry-oriented training model, emphasising that the comprehensive training enables trainees to develop the competencies required to meet industry standards and perform effectively in the workplace.

Representing the private sector, Mr. Sudipto Debnath Antu, Assistant Manager, Human Resources at PRAN-RFL Group, expressed the company's continued interest in recruiting graduates from the Electrical and Refrigeration & Air Conditioning (RAC) trades. He appreciated the successful collaboration with the Educo LIFT Project and acknowledged the quality and preparedness of the project's graduates for industry employment.

Mr. Shahriar Mahmud, Head of TVET at ESDO, stated that the project's training curriculum has been developed in close alignment with industry requirements. He further noted that ESDO continuously incorporates feedback and emerging skill demands from employers into the curriculum to ensure graduates possess relevant competencies and secure decent employment opportunities.