The State Employment Service of Belarus sent 11.7 thousand unemployed people for vocational training in January-May

June 9, Minsk /Elena Prus - BELTA/. According to operational data, in January-May of the current year, the state employment service sent over 11.7 thousand unemployed people for vocational training, retraining, and skill enhancement. As reported to BELTA correspondent by the Main Department of Employment Policy and Demographics of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Belarus, this is 5.4% more compared to January-May 2009. Among the regions, the largest number of unemployed people were sent for vocational training in the Gomel and Vitebsk regions (2 thousand and 1.9 thousand people, respectively) during the five months of the current year. The smallest number of those who received a "voucher" for vocational training was in Minsk (1.1 thousand). In Belarus, the opportunity to acquire a new specialty or improve existing skills in January-April of the current year was provided to 8.9% of the total number of unemployed people seeking employment (in January-May 2009, this figure was 8.7%). The training of skilled workers is carried out taking into account the needs of employers and production requirements. According to specialists, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, together with interested parties, has prepared proposals to increase the scholarship for citizens directed for vocational training by labor, employment, and social protection bodies. The relevant draft decree has been reviewed by the Council of Ministers and is currently under consideration by the Constitutional Court. In particular, it is proposed to increase the maximum scholarship amount from 3 to 4 base amounts (from Br105 thousand to Br140 thousand), and the minimum from 1 to 1.5 base amounts (from Br35 thousand to Br52.5 thousand). It should be noted that vocational training significantly increases the competitiveness of workers: more than half of those who acquire a specialty or improve their skills find employment. By the way, as of June 1 of the current year, 8.5 thousand people were undergoing training under the direction of the state employment service, and 11.2 thousand people completed vocational training in January-May. As a reminder, in accordance with the legislation, a person is removed from the unemployment register during the training period. As previously reported by BELTA, the scope of vocational training for the unemployed and the funding for these purposes have been significantly increased in 2010. At least 26.3 thousand unemployed people will be directed for vocational training in the current year. Of the total number of those who will receive a "voucher" for vocational training, at least 45% will acquire a specialty based on specific employer requests with a guarantee of subsequent employment. In this case, priority will be given to unemployed individuals under 21 years of age, those seeking work for the first time and without a profession – at least 80% of the registered number. Priority is also maintained for orphans and unemployed individuals of conscription age. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection noted that over Br103.3 million is allocated in 2010 to compensate employers for the costs of vocational training for employees subject to dismissal due to liquidation of an organization, termination of an individual entrepreneur's activity, reduction in the number or staff of employees, as well as for newly hired citizens who were released by another employer or are seeking work for the first time. -0-