SkillFUL is implemented by Swisscontact in collaboration with Centre for Mass Education in Science (CMES). The Project is jointly funded by European Union (EU) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). SkillFUL provides support mainly to private and a few NGO-based Training Service Providers (TSPs), which offer demand driven, flexible and affordable training, and job placement to the target groups of underprivileged men, women and differently abled people.
Besides strengthening capacity of training service providers, SkillFUL has undertaken other interventions such as developing competency based training materials (e.g. curriculum guides and training manuals), initiating and supporting establishment of Industry Skills Council as the apex body for the Furniture Sector and piloting private sector-led Skills Testing and Certification in the Furniture Sector for SkillFUL graduates and industry workers. Interventions also included initiating establishment of Skills Development Forums in Kurigram and Jessore for local organisations to address skills development issues, supporting "Skills and Loan Fairs" to enable target groups to explore access to finance and jobs, and supporting the development of Occupational Skills Standards for the Furniture and Informal Sector (for low level skills), jointly with the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).
SkillFUL strives to achieve a paradigm shift and has initiated linkages of Financial Institutions (FIs) with (i) TSPs seeking funds to upgrade and expand their business; (ii) potential trainees in need of support; and (iii) graduates seeking loans to start their own business.
Results 2014