“Although I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Italy, and even lived and exhibited there for a while, I returned to Serbia, had no job and applied for NES records. After 3 years, they invited me to a welder training and I left because the job always intrigued me, and it was well paid. Now I expect to find a job, but I will continue to improve,” says Vaso Zezelj, 38, about the motivations for attending welding training, organized by the National Employment Service with the support of the European Union.
The training was also completed by Nedeljko Markovic, who, although a metal-turner by education, has never worked in the profession.
“I had a welding machine at home, I worked a bit for my own needs, but I also wanted to gain the knowledge and certification to help me find a job. When I was invited from the NES to attend training, I had no doubts. Although my knowledge of welding is now only at a basic level, with no experience, I hope someone will hire me,” Nedeljko is cautious.
As part of the training, 29 welders received certificates and certificates for pursuing their current most sought-after occupation in the metal industry. For the past three months, they have received training at The Welding Institute, which is being implemented as part of the EU Support to the National Employment Service (NES) project to reduce unemployment.
The training for welders lasted for three months and consisted of the theoretical and practical parts. During the theoretical part, the participants had the opportunity to learn about the job itself, safety at work and regulations, and the practical part included the basics of welding and learning different welds. All trainees are registered with the NES, some of them have long been unemployed and without any prior knowledge and experience in the metal profession. This did not, however, prevent them from the enthusiasm and desire to acquire knowledge and skills, which, as it turned out after three months, was very demanding.
Sinisa Knezevic, Deputy Director of the NES Belgrade Branch, delighted the trainees with the news that there were already companies interested in hiring them.
“For the time being, the Belgrade branch has received 15 employers who are ready to start working with you. In doing so, I hope, successfully, to close one circle that began with training, your certification for this job, and finally employment. I hope that more employers from Belgrade will contact me, and I wish you to become entrepreneurs with new knowledge soon, “encouraged Knezevic to new welders.
The NES aimed to reconcile labor market supply and demand through the EU Support to the National Employment Service project.
“Following the situation in that market, the National Service organizes attractive training, so that the unemployed can acquire the necessary skills and enter the world of work as soon as possible, and employers will find quality workers. Welder training is organized at thirteen locations throughout Serbia for about 175 unemployed people and is intended for persons in the long-term unemployed or low-skilled category, ”explained Dragana Ugrenovic from the NES Projects and International Cooperation Division.
This is the second direct grant awarded by the European Union to the NES, which provides on-the-job training, job creation subsidies, self-employment subsidies and labor market training.
The project “EU Support to the National Employment Service” enables the linking of the less employable persons with the records of the unemployed and employers, helps the unemployed to improve their skills and thus contributes to the reduction of unemployment. The project is funded by the European Union with 4.5 million euros and is co-financed from the budget of the Republic of Serbia with 500 thousand euros. An additional € 1.8 million is invested by the EU in technical assistance to project management.
