It’s only been a decade, and the Furniture and Fittings Skill Council (FFSC) has become a crucial platform for woodworking artisans, furniture makers, mentors and dreamers. With 600,000+ skilled hands, 1,800+ skill ambassadors, 16 regional chapters and 30+ skill academies running, it has successfully turned a mission into a movement. To further its vision, FFSC has unveiled Roadmap for Viksit Bharat 2047 on its 10th anniversary.
Speaking on the 10th Foundation Day, which was celebrated last month, FFSC’s new Chairperson Nandkishore Mistry said, “We’re not just building skills—we’re shaping a future. This is our council, our sector, our nation, our mission, and our moment. Together, let’s make the most of it”.
To further this vision, Mistry led the unveiling of FFSC’s roadmap that is aligned with India’s broader goals of Viksit Bharat 2047.
A Decade of Purpose & Poise
FFSC’s journey began with a mission to build a robust skill ecosystem for the interiors, furniture and allied industries in India. It operates under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and is supported by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the National Skill Development Corporation.
Empowered by over 8,500 CSR-funded training programmes and more than 15 sector-specific job roles, FFSC has made a significant impact in a short time.
The FFSC Skill Academies have facilitated placements for over 100 learners, following a 3-month short-term training, with a monthly earning of Rs 15,000–30,000.
The inspiring story of Rajesh Sharma, the winner of India’s first-ever Medallion of Excellence in Cabinet Making at WorldSkills 2024, shows how FFSC has been meticulously identifying and nurturing young talent.
Aligned to a Broader Goal: Skill India
FFSC’s accomplishments are not standalone success stories but a part of the greater Skill India Mission, which also celebrated its decennial anniversary in July this year.
“Skill India’s journey has shown us that skilling is not a fallback; it is the foundation. As we move towards Viksit Bharat 2047, it is clear that India will not become a developed nation by chance but by design. And at the heart of that design is our people—skilled, confident, and future-ready,” said Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and Minister of State, Education.
The minister was speaking on the occasion of the 10-year celebration of Skill India Mission – Bharat SkillNxt 2025 – where several key measures were announced.
One of the important initiatives in this evolving digital age was Skilling for AI Readiness (SOAR), a four-module programme to bridge the digital divide among school students across the country.
The other initiatives included IndiaSkills 2025–2026 Operational Guidelines and Registration Portal, KaushalVerse Digital Enterprise Portal, and the Apprenticeship Training Portal. The Skill Impact Bond (SIB) — the country’s first and the world’s largest — was announced with a clear focus on employment outcomes.
Multiple high-impact MoUs, including one between MSDE and the French Government, were signed with the promise of close public-private and international collaborations.
Talking about the initiatives, MoS for Education Sukanta Majumdar said, “This is not just about preparing youth for employment; it is about preparing them for life.”
This vision of new-age skill development was also reflected at the FFSC ceremony, which was aptly themed ‘One Nation One Industry — Powered by Skills’, and in the speeches of industry leaders, who highlighted how skilling initiatives are making a tangible difference in both individual lives and business outcomes.
The testimonials of learners Bhumika and Akashdeep, who shared at the Foundation Day how formal training helped them transition from uncertainty to employment, were evidence of these outcomes.
A Holistic Celebration
The Foundation Day celebration showcased the impact that FFSC is making, the transformation that it has initiated and a strategic alignment for the road ahead.
Speaking at the 10th Annual General Meeting of FFSC, which was held on the same day, CEO Rahul Mehta reflected on the critical role that the industry representatives have played as Skill Ambassadors. He outlined the Council’s forward focus on ‘building a sustainable skill culture, enhancing training quality, and driving employment’ across diverse sub-sectors.
Several industry leaders echoed Mehta’s views and put forth valuable insights to enrich the journey. Among them was Meenakshi Talesra of Häfele India, who emphasised the need for a ‘learning culture’ within organisations to future-proof the workforce.
‘Industry wants to Know’, a spotlight session, dug deeper into the importance of industry-led curriculum development, the role of subject matter experts and FFSC’s Skill Academy model.
On this occasion, FFSC also announced key leadership roles, which included industry veteran Nandkishore Mistry (MD of Swati Interior) as its Chairperson, Satyan Thukral (Caple Industrial Solutions) as Co-Chairperson, and Deepak Gupta (Bracecorp Technologies) as Treasurer. The Council deepened its presence in a key furniture manufacturing hub by adding the Jodhpur Regional Skill Chapter.
A major highlight was the signing of an MoU with the India Didactics Association, which, according to Mehta, is going to be a strategic step towards FFSC’s engagement with the education ecosystem. Significant MoUs were also signed with the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts and Bhartiya Skill Development University, among others.
The release of trainer and learner handbooks for 15 job roles, including three WorldSkills-aligned trades, demonstrated FFSC’s continued focus on quality content and structured learning.
Vision & Roadmap
The celebration concluded with the presentation of FFSC’s vision and roadmap that aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047, emphasising sectoral skilling as a cornerstone of national development, as announced by the new FFSC Co-Chairperson Satyan Thukral.
Before that, a focused panel led by Dr Mahesh M, CEO of Creaticity, brought attention to the sub-sectoral skill needs in panels, hardware, surface finishing and machinery. Industry leaders from Greenply, Ozone, Woodtech and Plantag underscored the urgency for granular job roles.
The discussions called for increasing the existing network of Skill Academies and learner engagement activities, like ‘Skill Star ki Hunt’ and ‘Skill Pavilion’. These are designed to strengthen grassroots connections with aspirants from schools, colleges, carpenter/contractor families, and link them to opportunities for training, apprenticeships, employment and platforms like WorldSkills.
According to Mehta, this roadmap will enable FFSC, “which has indeed lived up to the national goals of Skill India Mission, to pace up social mobility, create a learner-centric and demand-driven skills market, develop leadership skills and fuel economic growth. Above all, it will help FFSC script a new chapter in its journey — One Nation. One Industry. One Mission – Kushal, Saksham, Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
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