The European Union must also focus on financing initiatives to increase the skills of employees, otherwise it loses competitiveness, because the human resource is the most valuable, and support is also needed to develop modern skills, such as linguistic, digital and green skills, declared the Minister of Labor and Social Solidarity, Simona Bucura-Oprescu.
This opened the proceedings of the 23rd Managerial Conference of the Center for Public Employment Services from South-Eastern European Countries, with the theme „Digitalization of Public Employment Services”, attended by specialists from Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Moldova, Slovenia and Turkey.
According to a press release, the minister emphasized the importance of improving the skills of employees in the context of increasingly accelerated changes on the labor market, increasing the role of the EURES network, as well as the need to develop the capacity of public employment services to offer services adapted to the current requirements of those in in looking for a job in relation to the real needs of employers.
„The National Employment Agency (ANOFM) is a key institution for professional training and integration on the labor market. We want to increase the administrative capacity of ANOFM and develop the infrastructure of each local employment service to ensure the best services for citizens and for employers. We want a close collaboration between employers, the educational system and ANOFM, so that we correctly anticipate the needs of the labor market. This year, ANOFM has implemented an innovative mechanism, through which we bring together graduates from different forms of education employment public and employers and, thus, we can adapt the professional #training offer to employers’ requirements. Also, the development of the social economy is a priority. Romania has a rich tradition in crafts and we want to support the continuation and development of this tradition. Using European funds, we can invest in the circular economy and in the revitalization of crafts, encouraging the development of these skills. On the other hand, I believe that it is necessary for the European Union to emphasize the financing of initiatives to increase the skills of employees, otherwise it loses competitiveness, because the human resource is the most valuable. We need support to develop modern skills, such as language, digital and green skills. Our main objective is to increase the level of employment and offer Romanians professional opportunities that bring them satisfaction and better incomes,” said Simona Bucura-Oprescu, quoted in the press release.
The chairman of ANOFM, Florin Cotosman, emphasized that this Conference offers the opportunity to discuss the challenges of digitization, share good practices and strengthen the professional relations between the participating institutions.
„We have the opportunity to get to know better the situation on the labor markets in the member countries of the Center, as well as the challenges that our public services are currently facing. We also welcome the accession of the Republic of Moldova to CPESSEC, an important step for the consolidation of regional cooperation. Digitization creates new opportunities, but it also brings challenges related to data security and the impact on jobs. It is vital to adapt employment services to modern requirements and to invest in the continuous training of workers to meet the demands of the market,” said Florin Cotosman.
In the discussion groups within the Conference, both at the managerial level and at the level of experts, important topics for the labor market are addressed, such as the digitalization of employment services and the facilitation of the transition of young people from school to the labor market.
AGERPRES