The change of professional orientation and vocational training as

The change of professional orientation and vocational training as

Subject:
The change of professional orientation and vocational training as tools
increasing the competitiveness of the unemployed on the job market
Speaker:
Nadija Gumeniuk, the manager of The Active Support of the Unemployed Department
of The Town Labour Centre in Mukaczewo
Unemployment as a part of market economy in case of the town Mukaczewo is characterised
by the following: insufficient number of workplaces, inadequacy between employers’
demand and job offers on the market.
Taking these features into consideration the main directions of active support
of the unemployed are the change of professional orientation and professional training for
people out of work. The professional information Specialist meets on daily basis with
the citizens coming to the Labour Centre for the first time. The specialist presents
the direction of first activities, various services and kinds of financial support, available by
virtue of Ukrainian law “On social insurance compulsory payment for the case of
unemployment”. The information sector is located in the job self search area and is
equipped with TV set, VCR, video tapes ”The world of professions” (cook, baker,
confectioner), video – passports of companies, 135 folders with job descriptions and regional
component. The main aim of professional consulting is to provide the unemployed with
information on modern professions and the job market, and help to recognise their potential.
Therefore, there have been 27 seminars on job search techniques conducted since
the beginning of the year. 276 unemployed, 48 out of whom found the job, took part in
the seminars.
The Labour Centre in Mukaczewo in accordance with Education, Family, Youth and Sport
Board, in April-May 2003, conducted ”Days of graduates” for high school leavers. It aimed
at advising the teenagers on the choice of profession. 420 young people (including
16 orphans and children without parental care, 23 young people having a bad record,
27 students of special school for blind children and children with sight illness) participated
in the event.
The Active Support of the Unemployed Department has organised activating seminars
in order to encourage the unemployed to commence business activity. They aim at
supporting the commencement of business activity by the unemployed. From January to
September 2003, 31 seminars were conducted, in which 208 people took part. A special
attention was paid to unemployed women – 56 participants, out of which 11 became selfemployed after the course.
Labour Centre cooperates with Transcarpathian Fund of Supporting Entrepreneurship
(„ТЕС-Фонд-Мукачево”) and The Association of Young Economists in Mukaczewo.
This cooperation results in organising interactive seminars (there were 7 seminars
for 74 unemployed in 2003). Consequently, 23 people completed the course “Bases
of entrepreneurship”; 63 people received financial aid for commencing business activity:
transport services, bee-keeping, cultivation and picking of healing plants, trade
and mediation. Those who can be complimented on their successes are: Sergij Gamal,
who rented rooms in the complex laboratory plant and created 9 new workplaces, Mykoła
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Tegze, who maintains and repairs refrigerating equipment in the region and Julia Ołefirenko
– who provides consulting services concerning food industry.
In the time of growing employers’ requirements concerning employees’ professionalism,
the change of professional orientation and vocational training are of significant importance
for the future employment. This applies to a great number of the unemployed, especially
those who do not have a profession or lost their skill and abilities due to long period
of unemployment
Labour Centre sent 269 unemployed to vocational training: welder, seamstress, tourist agent,
mechanic.
The quality of training should be of the greatest importance in vocational training. Therefore,
the priority is to organise training for people selected by the employer, who will be hired
afterwards. Labour Centre in Mukaczewo conducted individual training: tending
of carpenter’s machinery, chicken-farmer, hairdresser, carpenter, seamstress.
As a result of training the professional level of drivers (up to D category) and accountants
(national standard) increased. All people were employed in chosen companies.
The unemployment of women remains an important problem in our town. 350 job places, out
of 700 vacancies, are workplaces for seamstresses. The centre conducted sociological
research in order to receive information about professional plans of the unemployed.
Consequently we organise the round table titled Unemployment among women: problems
and ways of solving them. This meeting was attended by the representatives of city
authorities, schools, entrepreneur associations, women associations, managers of textile
industry. Afterwards, The Club of Unemployed Women was set up. Moreover, in order to
increase the chances of finding the job by the unemployed, a course – thematic training for
women (with higher and not completed higher pedagogic education) will be organised in
Higher Pedagogic School in Mukaczewo to enable them to become a qualified caretaker.
Furthermore, in January 2003, Centre initiated a meeting of 52 unemployed women with the
representative of Leoni-Waering-Systems UA Mukaczewo company, which plans to create
200 workplaces for women within a year (in the production of electronic sub-assemblies for
cars).
At present the Centre, together with TV and other media, is engaged in PR campaigns,
which aim at publicising forms and methodology of self-employment. On 2 February 2003,
former unemployed and businessmen at present (thanks to the help of the Centre) took part
in ”7 days” programme in “M-studio”. Besides, local press regularly publishes information on
professionals listed in the Labour Centre in the column “To employers’ attention”. What
is more, the billboard advertising the services offered by the Centre, was put in the city
centre.
10.10.2003
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