site.btaMinisters, Social Partners Sign Framework Agreement on National Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan

113 ECONOMY-YOUTH GUARANTEE-AGREEMENT SIGNED

Ministers, Social Partners Sign Framework Agreement
on
National Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan


Sofia, October 10 (BTA) - The ministers of labour and social
policy, of education, and of youth and sports, Yordan
Hristoskov, Roumyana Kolarova and Evgenia Radanova,
respectively, and representatives of employers and trade unions
Friday signed a framework agreement on a national Youth
Guarantee Implementation Plan under the European Youth Guarantee
2014-2020 initiative.

The purpose of the EU's Youth Guarantee initiative is to
integrate youths aged 15 and 24 in the labour market or back in
education. Developing and delivering a Youth Guarantee scheme
requires strong cooperation between all the key stakeholders:
public authorities, employment services, career guidance
providers, education and training institutions, youth support
services, business, employers, trade unions, etc.

Presenting the initiative, Hristoskov said that Bulgaria will
receive 55 million euro under it, and will not have to
contribute national co-financing. The minister said that the
national Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan clearly states the
commitments of each institution and stakeholder. The national
Youth Guarantee starts with an assessment of the employers'
needs to hire young people in internships and apprenticeships
combined with training. By the end of September a total of 9,957
such jobs were announced in Labour Offices, of which 6,486 were
for training at the workplace and 3,741 for apprenticeships.
The majority of the jobs are in retail, restaurants, marketing,
medical services, accounting. The job candidates must be up to
29 years of age.

Kolarova said that one of the main tasks of her Ministry is to
limit as much as possible early school drop-outs, as the problem
is one of the main sources of unemployment. She said that
30,000 pupils and university students have completed interships
under ongoing programmes, with at least 10,000 more expected to
do so by the end of the year. Kolarova stressed the need for
businesses providing workplace trainings to issue certificates
for the acquired skills and qualifications. PK /ZH/