The FINANCIAL — Four projects demonstrated new models of support for unemployed persons with disabilities and living in remote areas, and for developing agro- and family businesses, according to Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.
On 15 March at the event “Everyone is employable” held in Tbilisi the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia highlighted the results and achievements of four EU-financed projects which piloted innovative solutions to tackling employment challenges for persons with disabilities, people living in remote areas, and for developing agro- and family businesses.
Speaking at the event Janos Herman, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, stated, “The projects presented today have already had a strong and positive impact for many Georgian citizens. They prove that with the right approach and resources everyone can be employed. We are committed to go on with these projects, together with the Government and our partners.”
Ketevan Natriashvili, First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia noted that “The European Union has been supporting the development of vocational education and training for years. As a result we devised the National Qualifications Framework, higher quality of vocational education and training, and an increased employment rate for graduates of vocational education.”
Zaza Sopromadze, Deputy Minister of Labour Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, were both present at the event. Deputy Minister Sopromadze noted that “With support from the European Union we carried out the necessary reform fostering employment. Thanks to a twinning project in a complex time of reform we managed to come up with solutions that increased and improved the institutional capacity and quality of provided services in our country.”
The four projects were primarily financed by the EU, but implemented by different partners throughout Georgia. Besides presenting new models of employment support, the projects found jobs for 100 jobseekers, supported over 240 small businesses and trained over 3.000 people. The four projects are:
Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Educate, Employ, Advocate and Legislate for Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities (implemented by KEDEC)
Vocational Education for Agribusiness
Improving Formal, Non-formal and Informal Vocational Education for the Agribusiness in Georgia (implemented by PIN)
Vocational Education in Remote Regions
Deepening Linkages Between Formal/non-formal Vocational Education and Training System and the Labour Market Needs in the Context of Lifelong Learning in Georgia (implemented by UNDP)
Vocational Education in Remote Regions
Launching of employment-oriented education and development system in Ajara (implemented by IOD)
Beneficiaries of the four projects shared their experience and success stories, as well as discussed challenges they experienced and future perspectives.
EU support to Employment in Georgia
Since 2014, the EU has committed over 80 million GEL to help tackle unemployment in Georgia, by developing more employment-relevant education, better employment services, as well as improved labour market analysis.
With EU support, the Government has managed to modernise the vocational education and training system through public/private sector partnerships and work work-based learning principles, and establish a Labour Market Information system, which offers geographic information on in-demand professions and provides direct access to schools offering relevant training.
In addition the EU worked with four civil society partners to pilot innovative solutions to tackling employment challenges for people with disabilities, people living in remote areas, and for developing agri- and family businesses to demonstrate that with the right support, everyone can be employable.