Bangladesh’s workforce is largely underskilled. This leads to widespread employment in the informal sector where low wages and unsafe working conditions persist. Youth aspiring to migrate abroad face similar challenges due to limited technical capacity.

Around 2.2 million young people enter the country’s job market every year. Most of them are without industry-aligned skills. Thus, the gap between global demand and national readiness continues to widen. At the same time, the global demand for technically skilled and adaptable workers is rising rapidly — particularly in manufacturing, caregiving, construction, and ICT — and overseas employers are increasingly prioritizing certified, industry-standard skills.

PKSF recognizes that equipping individuals, particularly youth, women, and low-income people with market-responsive skills is essential for creating productive employment, enabling entrepreneurship, and facilitating access to better opportunities both at home and abroad.

A total of 69,446 young micro-entrepreneurs enhanced their skills in enterprise management, risk mitigation, technical know-how, and life skills by taking PKSF’s Business Management and Entrepreneurship Development (BMED) training.

Additionally, 49,963 micro-entrepreneurs received Risk Management and Business Continuity (RMBC) training to revive enterprises affected by shocks, including the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under PKSF’s six-month Apprenticeship Program, participants receive occupation-specific hands-on training under Master Craftspersons, complemented by structured life-skills sessions.

As of June 2025, 24,732 apprentices completed the program, with 13,720 securing wage-based jobs and 2,347 establishing their own enterprises.

Earlier, under a specialized project, PKSF trained 38,633 disadvantaged individuals and ensured 75% job placement. Now another project is being implemented and it will provide free, industry-demand-based technical training to 12,000 underprivileged youth—30% of whom will be women. There are plans for training 8,500 more youths from marginalized groups, including orphans, ethnic minorities, and the third gender community.

PKSF’s human capital development efforts are complemented by its preventive healthcare and WASH initiatives which ensure that skill development beneficiaries remain healthy and economically active. About 5 million people have received primary healthcare services, supported by static and satellite clinics, health camps, and free cataract surgeries supported by PKSF.

By promoting hygiene, nutrition, clean water, and sanitation practices, PKSF strengthens the overall productivity and well-being of low-income households. Together, these integrated interventions create a comprehensive system that enhances employability, strengthens microenterprises, promotes decent work environments, and ensures a healthier, more resilient workforce, contributing directly to the national goals of inclusive growth and economic transformation.