Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks at regional Elbasan career and job fair where National Employment Service Office has connected hiring private enterprises with job seekers and has provided real employment for many unemployed individuals, who have been removed from the social assistance scheme:
Greetings everyone!
We are here today at the Job Fair in Elbasan as part of a series of job fairs being opened all over Albania as we believe it is another important instrument, an alternative to guide people and jobseekers to the workplace and private companies through the mediation of employment service and providing valuable information on the labour market.
We are all aware that a huge gap exists between the reality of the marketplace and the unemployed people looking for job opportunities in part also due to the lack of media coverage on the reality of the country’s labour market and the constant refrain that no new jobs are available, discouraging a large number of jobseekers.
The participating employers offer 1567 vacancies at this job fair. The fair offers a variety of opportunities and a salary range jobs on offer. Of course the job openings range from entry level opportunities in manufacture to highly-paid and senior positions, including financier, accountant, engineers, positions that require specific education, knowledge and skills.
I urge all residents and local unemployed jobseekers to visit the fair and contact in person and speak face-to-face with the private companies, while the employment service office will be available to help and facilitate the whole process.
The truth is that the regional employment service has significantly improved performance and results since methodology has changed, while setting monthly objectives has created new atmosphere and enthusiasm for even higher results.
The unemployment rate in Elbasan has fallen by 5.4%. It’s an encouraging result achieved in one year only. If the unemployment rate stood at 13.6% past year this rate has dropped to 8.2% today. There are real opportunities to further cut the unemployment rate in the central region in Elbasan, since the number of companies operating here is growing and the jobs they offer are real.
Meanwhile, some 424 unemployed jobseekers have been directly provided job placement by the employment service offices. The figure includes the number of individuals who have been employed through the help of employment service only and those directly employed by businesses themselves.
Some 525 other unemployed jobseekers are now attending vocational training program that is to say to be trained and get ready to take up free jobs at private companies, according to the different categories and profiles of vocational training.
More than 80 jobseekers are benefiting direct funding under the employment promotion programs, whereas more than 221 people from this region have been employed during May only.
We are confident that there is a plethora of employment opportunities for all individuals excluded from the social assistance program and physically-fit and ready to take up jobs in the private sector.
Around 70 per cent of the individuals who have been excluded from the social assistance scheme belong to the 24-45 age group that represents the most active part and it is impossible to consider this age group as a category that has to content with a mere pittance of economic assistance. Therefore, I repeat, there a plenty of opportunities and we are certainly working to create more opportunities, but 1567 new jobs here in Elbasan alone is not a small number.
I would also like to underline that several vocational education schools operate here in Elbasan. I had the opportunity to meet some of the young boys and girls enrolled in vocational training who will have instant employment guaranteed tomorrow. Data show that vocational education graduates stand 20 percent higher chances to start work right away compared to university graduates, 35 percent more chances than the high school graduates.
For all these reasons, I would like to once again re-emphasize that we are on a path towards doing a lot more; we are on a good track as we are seeing a steady increase in real employment.
More than 10 300 people have been employed during this period only and we are convinced to achieve the objective of find a job for 25 000 until the end of year.
Thank you very much!
