The Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Program (SICIP) is designed to cultivate a workforce proficient in emerging technologies, with a particular focus on priority and new industries in Bangladesh.
What SICIP sets out to do
Supported by US$300 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Result Based Lending facility, measured by Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs), and US$75 million from GoB, SICIP aligns with the Government of Bangladesh’s Skills Development Framework for Economic Competitiveness 2023 and the Eighth Five Year Plan.
SICIP runs for six years, FY2024 to FY2029, and builds on the Skills for Employment Investment Program (SEIP), which the Finance Division has run since 2014.
SICIP is delivered through three schemes, run by SDCMU from late 2023 to 30 June 2029. Together they produce four outputs, measured by nine Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs).
Headline targets by 2028
Headline targets by 2028
Headline targets by 2028
The outcome all three schemes add up to: a larger technology-oriented skilled workforce for priority and emerging industries.
Advanced Technical Skills, Managerial Capabilities, and R&D Driven Innovation Capacity Development for Priority and Emerging Industries
Higher-level technical skills for emerging sectors (e.g. electronics, automotive, pharmaceutical) and priority sectors (e.g. textiles, garments), built through partnerships between industries and polytechnics, colleges and universities.
Targets by 2028
What it delivers
It will cultivate higher-level technical skills for existing priority and newly emerging sectors, such as electronics, automotive, and pharmaceutical, through partnerships between industries and education and/or training institutes (DLI 3). The skill requirements will be identified by leading industries, particularly for high-demand technology-related skills. Industries will be involved in developing curricula and instructors as well. The Finance Division in the Ministry of Finance is setting up an industry advisory board for the program, consisting of leading industries. Some polytechnics in industrial areas will be converted into specialized polytechnics to offer customized skills courses for emerging industries. This output will also enhance the institutional capacity to produce skilled workers adept at emerging technologies, including green technologies (DLI 4). It will create an automotive skills training center at a polytechnic institute, establish smart textile technology living labs in two textile engineering colleges, and set up high-demand technology-based courses in garments universities and in a light engineering institute. Many of these technical courses will have international partnerships for transfer of knowledge, training of instructors, and capacity development.
Mid-level managerial training through Executive Development Centers (EDCs) at partner universities, and competitive grants for applied R&D that solves industry problems.
Targets by 2028
What it delivers
Building on the SEIP’s introduction of executive development centers (EDCs) that impart customized mid-level managerial training through university–industry partnerships, the government will further institutionalize the EDCs in partnering universities (e.g., Bangladesh University of Textiles, BRAC University, Dhaka University, and East West University). EDC courses will be redesigned to align with industry’s technology trends and global environmental standards, including green technologies and business practices (DLI 5). This output will also promote applied R&D for industry solutions and incubation opportunities (DLI 6) by providing competitive grants. This initiative intends to foster collaborative innovations in industrial production processes and value-added product or service development. Applied R&D projects supporting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and climate-resilient products or services will be prioritized. The government will make efforts to bring overseas scientists and engineers of Bangladeshi origin to contribute to the transfer of knowledge and skills, which will connect local industries and academies to the global network. This will become a basis of developing a government policy or program.
Expansion of Skills for Employment and Socially Inclusive Training for Priority and Emerging Sectors
Industry-aligned basic and mid-level skills training across at least nine priority sectors, with programs designed for women, socially disadvantaged groups and potential migrant workers.
Targets by 2028
What it delivers
This output will continue to support basic and mid-level skills training of new entrants or existing workers with industry partnerships, following the SEIP's sector-focused training models, covering at least nine priority sectors (DLI 7). These will be implemented in close coordination with the NSDA and NHRDF. It will also create specially targeted skills programs for socially disadvantaged groups (e.g., people with disabilities, transgender people, and people in small ethnic communities); women garment sector workers who are at high risk of job loss because of automation; and those who may be negatively affected by the transition to a low-carbon economy. For women, upskilling and multi-skilling for future garment work or alternative livelihoods, community-based support for empowerment, and green entrepreneurship skills will be provided in partnership with the H&M Foundation and the Asia Foundation. The government will also scale up skills courses with international certification for potential migrant workers, which will enable them to gain better employment opportunities overseas and increase remittance flows (DLI 8).
Enhancing Institutional Capacity for Skills Monitoring and Management
Stronger program management, monitoring, audit and evaluation, so that results are measured reliably and the training models that work are kept.
Targets
What it delivers
This output will support the establishment of an Industry Advisory Board for output 1 activities, which will guide the development of advanced technical skills courses by ensuring the coverage of emerging sectors and new skills requirements. The output will continue to enhance monitoring mechanisms, such as the online trainee management system created under SEIP to monitor training performance and track its outcomes. Analytic studies, such as a tracer study and industry skills trends analysis, will be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of new skills programs and to institutionalize effective training partnership models. The output will ensure effective management and governance of skills development systems overall, by undertaking financial audits, internal audits, and performance audits of the RBL program.
Unlike other skills development projects, SICIP has a number of innovative features that make it unique, even compared with its predecessor, SEIP.
ADB releases money when results are achieved, not simply when funds are spent. Each disbursement is linked to a specific result, a Disbursement-Linked Indicator (DLI), with yearly targets that are independently verified.
SICIP moves from the traditional project (DPP/TPP) approach to a program approach. Funds are channelled directly from the Ministry of Finance, so the Planning Commission and IMED have no role in approving the program or monitoring its activities.
7 to 10 industry leaders, business experts and academics, appointed by the Finance Division, meet every quarter to advise SDCMU on emerging sectors, skills needs, curricula, R&D and industry–university partnerships.
Annual financial audits by OCAG, risk-based internal audits under annual plans approved by the Finance Division Secretary, and two rounds of independent performance audits of the program and all implementing partners.
SEIP focused on entry- and mid-level skills; SICIP adds advanced technical and managerial skills, through new technology-based training centers and upgraded institutes in automotive, engineering, textiles and garments, IT, pharmaceutical and leather technology.
Courses with international certification for potential migrant workers expand beyond welding to construction, light engineering, and nursing and caregiving, through agreements with certification bodies such as City & Guilds and DNV-GL.
Training on green skills, green technology and green business practices; green building designs for new and renovated training facilities; and modern equipment with energy and water conservation and pollution control features.
Competitive grants for applied, industry-focused R&D through university–industry partnerships, run as Bangladesh Industry Research Development and Innovation (BIRDI). Target: at least 7 projects, with 5 outcomes piloted or adopted by industry.
Visit BIRDISICIP engages non-resident Bangladeshi scientists, engineers and expert professionals in industry-focused R&D, connecting local industries to global networks, and is drafting a program or policy to make this lasting.
Smart textile technology living labs at the Textile Engineering Colleges in Chattogram and Gazipur, with KOTERI of Korea, and an automotive technology training center at Narsingdi Polytechnic Institute, with the Fair Group.
With East West University, SICIP is establishing the Center for Innovation and Technology (CINTEC), a “Living Lab” centre of excellence for industrial automation and environmental sustainability: automated ETP monitoring, smart energy systems and AI-driven process optimisation.