Tackling Unemployment

According to the new plan, in order to keep the unemployed in the game, that is, in the labor market, they must be registered (registered) in the employment system. Also, each of them needs personalized help that will give extra points.

And they will also need a so-called “labor integration agreement”, which provides for: – mentoring and assistance in finding a job; – education and vocational training; – help with housing, transport, childcare, etc .; – individual advice and support.

And the jackpot in this game will, of course, be a contract with an employer.

But for this, all players need to work together.

It can be stated that in most European countries only 20% of employment programs concern those who have been unemployed for more than one year. This is despite the fact that there are many such “experienced unemployed” in Europe.

Fixed assets are spent on various benefits. But very little is being done to attract and stimulate employers. How can we help people return to the labor market under such conditions? This issue is the subject of a report by Giovanni Maggi from Slovakia, which shows one of the highest rates of economic growth in Europe (over 3%). The unemployment rate here is slightly below the EU average.

But there is one important feature. Almost 9.5% of able-bodied citizens are unemployed. But more than 60% of them do not work for more than a year. That is, Slovakia was also affected by the problem of long-term unemployment. Indeed, not everyone has managed to adapt to serious changes in the world economy. For example, Radovan Chekhovich, who has been unable to find a job for more than a year now. “I had a job in telecommunications. With the development of technology, the staff began to decrease – the need for workers became lower. So I got laid off, ”he explains.

Or Eleonora Orbanova, for whom it is extremely difficult to find a job, due to the specifics of her profession. “Unfortunately, my profession is more male than female. And the employer prefers to hire men, mostly young men, ”she says.

Slovakia working on its own “recipe”

The Slovak government has taken a number of measures to solve this problem, namely: reduced taxes for low-paid workers, provided benefits for “long-term unemployed”, reorganized the Central Labor Exchange. Finally, special centers for assessing the qualifications of the unemployed have been set up to help them fill vacant jobs.

But these are far from all the tasks that have to be completed, says Branislav Ondruš, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family of the Slovak Republic. “It is impossible to solve the problem of employment without close cooperation with employers. After all, they are the ones who are responsible for the work process, – says Branislav Ondrush, – You need to listen to them, take into account how they see their ideal employee, and what skills he should have ”.

After months of searching, a young Spanish engineer named Escalante Lopez managed to find a job in Slovakia. In his home country, Spain, the long-term unemployment rate is 50% of the overall unemployment rate. “We have a lot of job seekers per job in Spain,” he says. – Therefore, you need to stand out with something, be able to sell your candidacy. So that whoever interviews or reads the resume says “Yes, this guy is what I need. Every morning you wake up and say to yourself: “Today I will definitely find a job.” So I – I was looking and looking for everything, and, finally, Slovakia found me, and I found Slovakia. And we liked each other. And so, here I am. “

Yes, in a job like job search, persistence and perseverance are extremely important. But this story also clearly demonstrates how a good education and vocational training, as well as a competent policy and taking into account the requirements of the labor market, give concrete results.

Sweden. A policy of “cautious” but effective reforms

The way Sweden is tackling the employment problem is a model example for the whole world. But the country’s population is growing. For the Swedish Minister of Labor, Ilva Johansson, this is another problem to be solved. Our journalist Maitrei Sitaraman spoke to her.

Maitrei Sitaraman, Euronews:
“What measures have paid off and what needs to be changed?”

Ilva Johannsson, Minister of Labor of Sweden:
“The phrase is typical of the Swedish Minister of Labor:“ We have a system and it works ”. But when it comes to newcomers to the labor market, this mechanism starts to fail. That is, it is necessary to develop new strategies and be able to cope with the influx of people that poured in last year who are looking for work today. An important component of this process is education policy, namely, on-the-job training, internships and trainings. All of this needs to be combined to speed up labor market entry.
Another important point: it is necessary to involve social services, especially trade unions. This is the traditional method in Sweden. ”

Maitrei Sitaraman, Euronews:
“Do you think the housing and labor markets need to change?”

Ilva Johannsson, Minister of Labor of Sweden:
“Yes, the labor market is not well regulated. It is mainly regulated by the parties to the collective agreement, which makes it quite flexible. As for the housing market, it needs reforms. The government is working on it. “

Maitrei Sitaraman, Euronews:
“What new ideas are worth taking into account given the growing number of migrants?”

Ilva Johannsson, Minister of Labor of Sweden:
“We need to provide financial assistance to people with a low level of education, so that they, in turn, can pay for their studies without any loans and credits. That is, with the funds allocated by the state, they will be able to receive primary or complete secondary education. Another initiative: assistance with paying tuition fees for a driver’s license. Because their presence can give an advantage when looking for a job. We are also going to develop a system that will help people finance their own driving license. ”

Maitrei Sitaraman, Euronews:
“What advice would you give to your European colleagues?”

Ilva Johannsson, Minister of Labor of Sweden:
“In our world, many people are trying to get out of the most difficult situations in life. We need to understand that the responsibility for them is on our shoulders. I think this is the most important. The labor market needs concrete reforms. Over the years, Sweden has maintained the highest employment rate in the European Union. Indeed, our system works. But one must remain vigilant not to destroy a mechanism that functions well. We need reforms aimed at meeting specific needs, and not those that can turn our labor market upside down. ”

Maitrei Sitaraman, Euronews:
“Ilva, thank you very much for your time. Thank you for being with us. See you in the next issue. ”

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