Looking towards the future thanks to skills development

Labour market insertion, Continuing Vocational Education and Training
26.07.2022
The “Uttoron – Skills for Better Life” project is enabling youth in Bangladesh to receive a technical and vocational education in order for them to find a job. One of these young people is Shah Kamil, who went through a training programme in an industrial enterprise, which then hired him as a full-time employee, providing him with a steady income.

The story of Shah Kamil is very similar to many other Uttoron trainees. Kamil is the youngest among his four siblings. Two of his brothers work in hotels and the only sister is now studying. After finishing his 12th grade, Kamil decided to discontinue his education and thought of contributing to the family income. "It will take me years to finish my traditional education and get a degree that would help me get a job. Besides, I was always more interested in acquiring technical and vocational skills and had a desire to do something in that line of work. So, it was clear to me that training from Uttoron would offer me the best chances for my future", he shares his thoughts at the time when a friend recommended the training to him. "Uttoron has prepared me with the basic skills that I needed to perform well in the industry. The confidence I have today is because of Uttoron". Equally important for Kamil was the fact that he would be able to support his family financially with his income.

Shah Kamil, Assistant Operator, Pran/RFL Industries, Habiganj Industrial Park    

Highly motivated for the next step

After completing his training in Packaging and Finishing Operation (PFO) trade from Uttoron, Kamil quickly found a job. For the past few months, he has been working as an Assistant Operator in an Industrial Park of the Pran/RFL Group, one of the largest industrial groups in Bangladesh. Kamil was scintillating while sharing a recent experience at work: "Yesterday at the assembly, my supervisor was complimenting me and my work in front of everyone; he was sharing how happy he is with my work, and it motivated me to do even better in future".  

When asked about his professional life in the future, he shares his aspirations “all the machinery I am operating now is imported from abroad, which means foreign countries also use the same type of machines in their factories. So, if I can gather more work experience here, I will be more skilled and will be able to get a higher paying job as a skilled worker."  Trainees like Kamil inspire the youth around him to become skilled workers and prosper in the future.

A perfect partnership

Chevron Bangladesh and Swisscontact share common goals: Young people gain access to education and skills that enable them to lift themselves out of poverty. Uttoron empowers young people and paves the way for a successful future for youth seeking to make their mark in a competitive world.

"We are especially proud to be a part of the Uttoron programme, which is a key part of Chevron Bangladesh’s success story. Uttoron is an excellent example of public-private collaboration for the greater good and will set a benchmark for such working relationships for years to come. To ensure  sustainability, Uttoron leaves a lasting positive imprint on our communities far beyond the lifespan of the project."
Muhammad Imrul Kabir, Director Corporate Affairs, Chevron Bangladesh 

Swisscontact is helping shape the dreams of many youths like Kamil through the Uttoron project funded by Chevron. During 2019-2022, the project supported more than 2000 youth.

"Uttoron - Skills For Better Life" is a three-year (2019-2022) skilled workforce development project implemented by Swisscontact with financial support from Chevron under its Bangladesh Partnership Initiative (BPI). The project is currently being implemented in five districts of Bangladesh.  

The aim of the project is to facilitate access to training through public-private partnerships (PPP), launch innovations in the national VET sector and promote the technical skills of disadvantaged youth through VET.

2016 - 2022
Bangladesh
Labour market insertion, Continuing Vocational Education and Training
Uttoron – Skills for better life
Uttoron strives to create easy access to training through effective Public Private Partnerships (PPP), bring innovation to the national skills sector and develop technical skills of disadvantaged youth through vocational training to ensure their well-being.