Bangladesh has taken a further step towards strengthening its renewable energy workforce after 77 power-sector professionals completed specialist training in solar photovoltaic and wind energy under a German-backed programme.
The training was delivered through the Skills Development for Sustainable Energy Solutions (Skills4SE) project, implemented by German Development Cooperation in partnership with the Bangladesh Power Management Institute (BPMI). The initiative was commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Over the past four months, 64 professionals completed solar photovoltaic training, while a further 13 completed training in wind power, reflecting growing demand for specialist expertise as Bangladesh expands its renewable energy ambitions.
The graduates were recognised at an event in Dhaka titled “Just Energy Transition (JET): Opportunities and Challenges in Developing a Skilled Workforce for the Power Sector.” The event brought together representatives from government, energy utilities, academia, the private sector and international development organisations.
Discussions focused on the skills Bangladesh will need to support the transition to cleaner energy, including expertise in solar power, wind energy, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and hybrid renewable energy systems.
Ulrich Kleppmann, Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Dhaka, said a successful energy transition would depend not only on investment and technology but also on developing a workforce capable of operating and maintaining modern energy infrastructure.
“German Development Cooperation’s collaboration with BPMI is a great example of how we are helping strengthen local institutions so they can lead and sustain capacity building for future generations,” he said.
Representatives from Bangladesh’s Power Division and the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA) also contributed to the discussions.
The event produced recommendations for BPMI to further update its training curricula in line with the changing requirements of the energy industry. The institute is also expected to strengthen its role as a national centre for renewable energy skills development.