Azernews.Az

By Fatma Babayeva

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population and United Nations Development Programme signed a document on new Economic Empowerment for Entrepreneurship and Employment project in Baku on April 28.

This is the next of the series of projects which implemented to facilitate integration of the young generation to the labor market.

The project was undersigned by Salim Muslumov, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population and Ghulam M. Isaczai, UNDP resident representative. It is implemented jointly by the mentioned institutions with the support of USAID.

The total budget of the project amounts to $189,000. Overall, 400 people will benefit from the project.

Economic Empowerment for Entrepreneurship and Employment project aims to support youth employment in Azerbaijan. It is expected to contribute to further reduction of the unemployment rate and strengthen technology based small and medium enterprises in Azerbaijan.

Currently, the rate of unemployment stands slightly above 5 percent in Azerbaijan, while this figure is 10 percent among young generation, said Salim Muslumov during the signing ceremony of the project.

The Minister added that innovative approaches based on international practice are applied during arranging active employment events directed at increasing employment rates among youth.

Moreover, the project will support application of the SYSLAB methodology in vocational training centers of Ganja and Masalli cities.

The concept known as “SYSLAB” (Systems Laboratory for Innovation and Employment) includes modern job-seeking methods, entrepreneurship, systematic business, person-to-person networking and office skills, etc.

SYSLAB International has been active in Azerbaijan since 2011 when the first center was inaugurated in Baku.

Within the framework of the project that implemented with the support of UNDP and Norwegian SYSLAB company, SYSLAM Training Centers were established in Baku, Sumgayit and Ganja. In total, 452 young people attended the trainings held by these centers, and 358 or 80 percent of them were provided with relevant jobs in public and private sectors.

The focus group for SI Azerbaijan is unemployed persons with higher degrees in various fields which is important to the development of the country’s economy. In general, by reducing the unemployment, the agency helps to prevent brain drain.

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Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva

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