The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Labour Force Survey Quarterly Report (Q4 2024), recently published by the National Statistics Bureau presents that the overall employment rate is 96.9 percent and the National Unemployment Rate at 3.11 percent.
This national figure shows troubling disparities between genders and geographic locations, particularly highlighting the struggles of women and urban workers.
While the rural workforce remains engaged in subsistence agriculture, these jobs do not provide financial security, contributing to the high rates of underemployment and low income.
Youth unemployment, which stands at 17.7 percent, further highlights the challenges facing young Bhutanese workers, especially young women. Female youth unemployment is notably higher at 21.2 percent, compared to 14.5 percent for their male counterparts.
The Bhutanese engaged in a discussion with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) about the various training opportunities the ministry has implemented to help decrease unemployment and address these disparities.
MoESD plays a crucial role in shaping Bhutan’s workforce through various technical and vocational training programs. The ministry said that these initiatives are not only provided to classes 10 and 12 graduates, but also extend opportunities to marginalized communities, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and individuals seeking reskilling.
According to MoESD, the impact of these training programs has been significant. A multi-cohort tracer survey conducted between 2019 and 2023, found that 89.5 percent of Village Skills Development Program (VSDP) trainees and 92.3 percent of Special Skills Development Program (SSDP) participants reported improvements in their lives after completing their training.
“The Department (of Workforce Planning and Skills Development) has trained vulnerable groups such as the rural population needing additional skills for better livelihood, inmates, ESP/GSP staff of the government, housewives, and other special groups,” MoESD stated.
One of the key initiatives under this effort is the HOPE Project of His Majesty’s Secretariat, which focuses on training housewives and vulnerable groups from the armed forces in skills that enable them to generate income.
Similarly, MoESD’s collaboration with the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) has created training opportunities for inmates, helping them gain skills that will support their reintegration into society.
Another notable program is the Critical Skills Training (CST) initiative, which has been developed in partnership with the Disabled People’s Organization (DPO). Under this initiative, two batches of persons with disabilities have already been trained, with additional training sessions planned under a new project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). “The program is being continued to support additional skills training for PWD under the current CST program funded by the new ADB project,” MoESD said.
The ministry also consults organizations such as the National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC), RENEW, and Local Governments to identify the training needs of women (including female sex workers), PWDs, and economically disadvantaged groups.
A key step in this direction is the introduction of the Gender Strategy for TVET, which aims to increase female participation in technical and vocational training to 45 percent by the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (FYP).
In addition to formal training programs, MoESD is also implementing several specialized initiatives that cater to vulnerable groups. The Village Skills Development Program (VSDP) targets school leavers and unemployed youth in rural areas, while the Special Skills Development Program (SSDP) is designed to support monks, nuns, spouses of armed forces personnel, and juveniles in correctional facilities.
Training opportunities have also been extended to sex workers and women in informal sectors through partnerships with NGOs and civil society organizations.
“The MoESD provides skills training to villagers, housewives, inmates, delinquents, and the vulnerable under the Special Skills Development Program and Skills Development Program,” the ministry said.
In a move to create better career pathways for technical graduates, MoESD is also introducing Applied Degrees, which will allow individuals to reskill and upskill for emerging industries.
“The MoESD will soon be introducing Applied Degrees that will create an attractive learning and career pathway for technical graduates while also providing them with reskilling and upskilling opportunities,” the ministry stated.
The ministry is also working closely with organizations such as Dratshang Lhentshog, the Royal Bhutan Army, RBP, and the Royal Textile Academy to provide training in areas ranging from vocational skills for inmates to traditional weaving training for women.
Expanding its global outreach, MoESD is collaborating with institutions in Thailand, Germany, Switzerland, and Canada to introduce inclusive and internationally recognized training programs.
The ministry said, “The ministry is also making efforts to attract international students to take up TVET courses in Bhutan.”
By focusing on inclusivity, accessibility, and alignment with national priorities, the ministry is ensuring that all individuals, regardless of gender, disability, or economic background, have access to skill development programs that can improve their employment prospects and quality of life. There are currently 132 TVET institutions, 546 IC TVET Courses, and 141 Accredited TVET on offer. A job seeker with a valid jobseeker ID can visit the blmis.gov.bt page to seek out the many training opportunites.
