USAID Industry-led Skills Development Program FY2024 Quarter 1 Progress Report

The program aims to promote skills development in high-growth sectors through grants, partnerships, and private sector engagement. During Quarter 1 of Fiscal Year 2024, the program made significant progress across all key components and work plan activities. The program signed four new Sub-Component 2B grant agreements with Blauenstein EDU, Skillwill, Element Construction, and Tegeta Academy, totaling $2,275,036.82 in USG funding and $3,252,954.24 in leveraged funds committed by grantees. Under Component 3, the program signed two grant agreements with the Business Association of Georgia (BAG) and Academy of Business and Technology (ABT), totaling $946,563.01 in USG funding and $1,472,469.59 in leveraged funds committed by grantees. The program continued implementing 19 previously launched grants under Component 1, initiating the closeout process for four of them. Under Components 2 and 3, six large grant activities were launched, and two grant packages were approved by the end of the reporting period. The program supported the implementation of 44 active grants, executing USD $1,792,839.73 in grant payments and verifying USD $1,992,757.71 worth of grantee contributions. Private sector engagement was a key focus area during the quarter, with the program promoting skills development in high-growth sectors. The program collaborated with various stakeholders, including the Government of Georgia, other donors, and implementing partners, to achieve its objectives. The program also made significant progress in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, with various activities undertaken to track performance indicators and assess program impact. The program's geographic focus is on Georgia, with a specific emphasis on developing industry-relevant human capacity in high-growth sectors. The program's timeframes are aligned with the five-year contract period, with quarterly progress reports submitted to USAID. The program's recommendations for future action include continued private sector engagement, collaboration with stakeholders, and monitoring and evaluation of program impact. The program's implementation details are outlined in the report, with specific information on grant agreements, partner achievements, and program activities. The report also provides an overview of the program's progress, highlighting key achievements and challenges. The program's management and administration are overseen by the Chief of Party, David Blood, with support from the Home Office and field operations.