Project Description
Employment Program in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, financed by SDC
Project Overview
UNDP’s Employment Programme in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is an essential part of the country’s employment strategy designed to promote smart, sustainable and socially inclusive growth. It has a long-lasting experience of acting as a principal partner of the national counterparts in designing policies, building capacities, piloting of employment generation schemes and implementing programs to create jobs and improve livelihoods. Since 2007, over 8,700 new businesses have been created, 35% of which are run by women entrepreneurs and 31% by young people. A remarkable 70% of the companies created through the programme have remained active, and many have expanded. The current 2017 partnership agreement with the Government, with an allocated budget of USD 5,7 mill, foresees the implementation of a comprehensive set of employment measures that will help the unemployed – and particularly the disadvantaged groups – find decent and sustainable jobs.
UNDP also suppported the design and development of National Standards and Procedures for Verification of Adult Training Programmes and Adult Training Providers, to regulate and improve the competitiveness and quality of training programmes for adults. Since 2011 these activities have contributed to the alignment of training programmes to candidates’ diverse interests, while also focusing on the encouragement of the private sector engagement in the assessment of skills needs, participation, development and provision of training programmes.
Dual Elements
Developed procedures with the national institutions for training programmes in the area of non-formal education all of which involved employers in the delivery of the practical trainings.
127 unemployed people engaged through the Community Works Programme were trained while performing required tasks and duties in the social sphere (ex: care for elderly and care for children with disability).
The Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) in partnership with UNDP FYR Macedonia is undertaking IICPSD-UNDP Skills Partnerships Initiative (MSPI) with the aim is to explore whether better connections could be achieved with relevant stakeholders that will ensure greater involvement of the private sector in defining the demanded labour market skills and providing relevant training opportunities, which will bring better and more applicable labor market transferable skills.
Linkages will be initiated between selected local companies and industry association and their peers from the Czech private sector. Private sector will contribute to the capacity development of their employees by supporting training of trainers in line with the up-to-date industrial practices and support demand-driven curriculum development. Trained employees coming from the private sector will further train others to develop skilled workforce, including unemployed youth and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Participants & Contacts
Further information
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