Zenica-Doboj Canton and REZ Agency Join Forces: 105,000 KM for IT and AI Education of the Unemployed in 2026

(Patria) - The "Program for co-financing adult education for the needs of the IT/AI labor market of ZDC in 2026" was signed today at the premises of the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Refugees of Zenica-Doboj Canton.

The program was signed by Antonio Šimunović, Minister of Labor, Social Policy and Refugees of Zenica-Doboj Canton, and Ismet Sarajlić, Director of the Regional Development Agency for the Central Bosnia Region (REZ).

The total value of the program is 105,000 KM, of which the Ministry provides 50,000 KM, while the REZ agency contributes 55,000 KM. The main goal of this initiative is to increase the employability of unemployed persons by acquiring practical knowledge in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT), which have become essential for the competitiveness of the domestic economy.

- With this program, we are directly responding to the recommendations of the European Commission regarding the need for digital transformation. We are not only educating the workforce but also helping our small and medium-sized enterprises bridge the digital skills gap - emphasized the signatories of the Program.

The program focuses on a minimum of 40 unemployed persons from the records of the Public Institution Employment Service of ZDC, with strict adherence to quotas for the inclusion of women (min. 30%) and young people up to 35 years of age (min. 40%).

The education will be conducted through two specialized modules. Module A covers the application of AI tools in business processes (marketing, finance, HR), and Module B covers AI in logistics, energy optimization, and green business.

A special feature of this program is that the training will be carried out in a newly formed network of regional IT hubs in Zenica, Zavidovići, Maglaj, and Kakanj, thereby decentralizing top-tier technological education and making it accessible throughout the Canton.

It is expected that at least 10 participants will find employment immediately after completing the training in the small and medium-sized enterprises sector that are undergoing digital transformation. The public call for candidate applications will be published soon on the official websites of ZDC, the REZ agency, and the Public Institution Employment Service of ZDC.