The European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina today awarded grants to ten projects that will train and upskill at least 1,800 people for green and digital jobs and help at least 600 find employment or start their own business. The grants will reach people furthest from the labour market: young people, women from rural areas, the long-term unemployed, persons with disabilities, Roma and other vulnerable groups. They are part of EUzaPosloveBudućnosti, a 5.5 million euro project to which the EU contributes 5 million, implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The grants were presented at the event “Preparing the Workforce for the Jobs of the Future through Quality Offer of Training”, which opens a two-day workshop in Sarajevo on 10–11 November.
“The green and digital transitions are changing the skills employers need, and no one should be left behind. Our objective is to prepare people for the jobs that exist today and to equip them with the skills and opportunities to benefit from the jobs of tomorrow. Behind every number in this project is a person – a young person taking their first step into the labour market, a woman returning to work, or someone long unemployed getting a new professional chance. The European Union remains a reliable partner to Bosnia and Herzegovina in building a more inclusive labour market where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the jobs of the future,” said Adebayo Babajide, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Amar Numanović, Project Manager of the EUzaPosloveBudućnosti project, emphasised the importance of ensuring that no one is left behind in the twin transition towards a green and digital economy.
“First and foremost, people who are currently unemployed are at risk of facing new barriers to entering the labour market, particularly those related to a lack of relevant skills resulting from rapid economic changes. At the same time, many people who are already employed will need to be given opportunities to upgrade their skills or acquire new ones in order to respond to the changing needs of the labour market. On the other hand, people working in conditions of so-called underemployment, in the informal sector or in precarious forms of employment often lack adequate access to opportunities for vocational training and skills development.”
Biljana Čamur Veselinović, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, noted that the transition to a green economy and digital transformation have been recognised as public policy priorities under the Reform Agenda for Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2024–2027, and that this project seeks to contribute directly to achieving these priorities. She emphasised that these transitions bring new opportunities for economic development and job creation, while also requiring significant changes in the labour market and the preparation of the workforce for the jobs of the future. She also underlined the commitment of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and domestic institutions to supporting the implementation of project activities.
The workshop brings together representatives of the ten project partnerships supported through the grant support scheme, public employment services, ministries and institutions responsible for adult education, training providers, employers’ organisations, trade unions, and other relevant stakeholders. Its objective is to explore how labour market needs can be more effectively linked with skills development and training programmes that improve employment prospects in the context of the green and digital transitions. Over the two-day event, participants are examining the green and digital occupations targeted by the projects, the skills sought by employers, the profiles of individuals requiring additional competencies, and ways of adapting training programmes to labour market needs. Particular attention is being paid to implementation challenges, including the availability and quality of training, the recognition of acquired competencies, and stronger links between skills development and concrete employment opportunities. Through the exchange of experience and work on practical cases, project partnerships and institutional representatives will explore potential solutions and identify next steps to strengthen cooperation among employers, training providers, and institutions responsible for education and employment.
The EU4Employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina IPA 2021: Harnessing the Green and Digital Transitions (EUzaPosloveBudućnosti) project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project supports the improvement of employability and creating new opportunities for employment and self-employment in support of the green and digital transitions. The total value of the project is EUR 5.5 million.
