LABOR MARKET PROJECT
NEWS
February 16 - 17, 2005 Boyana Residence, Sofia, Bulgaria
Southeast European Economics Forum, 1 - 3 November , NDK, Sofia
Annual National Forum of the Bulgarian Association for Management and Development of the Human Resources, Sheraton Hotel, Sofia November 11, 2004
INVESTOR PERCEPTIONS OF BULGARIA’S COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS: LABOR MARKET FOCUS
Interview Program Results
(Prepared by USAID Labor Market Program October 2004)
GOALS
The USAID Labor Market Project has three major components:
Increasing the effectiveness of local level labor offices, educational, and training institutions to bridge the gap between the skills required by employers and the skills of the workforce (2004 – 2006).
Enhancing labor market flexibility at the central and local level increasing employment growth and economic activity of the population (2003-2006).
Providing technical assistance for the successful completion of the pension reform (1997 – 2004)
OBJECTIVES
ADDRESSING THE SKILLS GAP AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
Enable employers to look for and train their future workforce and help university students to gain practical experience by launching an Internet-based Internship exchange platform; assisting universities in granting academic credit for internships; and organizing internship fairs.
Linking professional training and certification programs available mainly through internationally recognized programs with regional educational and training institutions.
Assisting the Employment Agency in improving customer service to employers and the unemployed to better balance the needs of labor supply and demand.
LABOR MARKET FLEXIBILITY
Assist the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) in:
Educating the population of labor market flexibility issues and working with Bulgarian constituents and international donors.
Monitoring and evaluating existing measures and programs for employment promotion and unemployment reduction.
Identify labor code constraints to economic growth, labor and investment in the country by interviewing Bulgarian and international investors in the sectors of: Travel and Hospitality; Manufacturing (consumer product manufacturing, electronic component assembly, textiles and apparel); and IT.
PENSION REFORM
Provide expert and technical assistance to the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC), the National Social Security Institute (NSSI), the Bulgarian Association of Supplementary Pension Insurance Companies (BASPIC), for attaining:
More efficient supervision of pension insurance companies to guarantee the financial sustainability of pension funds and the rights of the insured persons.
Improved communications between the NSSI, the private pension funds, the insurers and insured persons in order to facilitate the access to and exchange of information and build mechanisms for control.