ILO provides 3 million euros: Local partnerships for more jobs

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched the project "Support for Local Employment Partnerships in Bosnia and Herzegovina" with a value of 3 million euros, which will be implemented over two years, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

The basic criterion is that a minimum of five local partners participate, of which the participation of employment services and local communities is mandatory, and the other three partners are non-governmental organizations or associations, educational institutions, and employers.

The Director of the Employment Service of Sarajevo Canton, Igor Kamočaji, today signed agreements with project partners: the Chamber of Commerce of Sarajevo Canton, the Sarajevo Regional Development Agency – SERDA, and the Institute for Youth Development – KULT.

He also stated that there are 69,480 unemployed people registered, of which more than 60% are women. Of this number, 28,357 are young people up to 35 years of age.

- The ILO, in cooperation with the European Commission, has issued a public call for partnership support aimed at reducing the unemployment rate, and the basic idea is that the Service also has its role in mediation within that partnership. Only by uniting and only together can we solve key issues – said Kamočaji.

Muamer Mahmutović from the Chamber of Commerce of Sarajevo Canton said that this is a continuation of cooperation with the Employment Service of Sarajevo Canton and that one of the Chamber's tasks is to survey the labor needs among its members.

- We are sure that the number of employed people will increase, and the grants range from 150,000 to 200,000 euros with co-financing of 10%.

Jasmin Bešić from the Institute Kult said that they will apply with a project for the employment of young people registered at the employment bureau, primarily in the municipality of Ilidža, but also in the Sarajevo Canton.

- We will work on the requalification and upskilling of young people. It has been shown that there is a shortage of young people in the tourism and hospitality sector, and accordingly, we will work on upskilling so that they can be employed in cooperation with hoteliers and restaurateurs who will recognize and select the staff they need. We want to show a more modern approach where we adapt education to the labor market – said Bešić, adding that the Municipality of Ilidža is a co-financier of the project.