German Development Cooperation, through the Skills Development for Sustainable Energy Solutions (Skills4SE) project, has partnered with the Bangladesh Power Management Institute (BPMI) to strengthen specialized training in solar and wind energy, underscoring the importance of a skilled workforce for Bangladesh’s just energy transition.
The initiative, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), aims to equip engineering professionals in the power and energy sectors with the skills needed to support a sustainable energy future.
Over the past four months, 77 professionals — including 64 graduates of solar photovoltaic training and 13 graduates of wind power training — have successfully completed their programs, marking an important milestone in the collaboration.
To commemorate the achievements and strengthened institutional capacity of BPMI, an event titled “Just Energy Transition (JET): Opportunities and Challenges in Developing a Skilled Workforce for the Power Sector” was held in Dhaka on Monday.
The event brought together representatives from the government, utilities, academia, the private sector and development partners to discuss emerging skills requirements in areas including solar photovoltaics, wind power, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and hybrid renewable energy systems.
“A successful just energy transition requires not only appropriate policies, investments, and technologies, but also a skilled workforce capable of planning, operating, and sustaining modern energy infrastructure,” said Ulrich Kleppmann, Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dhaka.
“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 while speaking as the Guest of Honour.
The event also featured insights from representatives of the Power Division and the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (SREDA).
Discussions at the event resulted in recommendations for BPMI to further strengthen its curricula in line with industry needs and enhance its capacity to support renewable energy skills development in Bangladesh.
As Bangladesh advances its renewable energy initiatives, the collaboration between German Development Cooperation and BPMI aims to contribute to developing the skilled workforce needed to support a sustainable and inclusive energy transition.
