2023 exceeded the expectations – Šabac Job info centre’s services used by over 800 trainees last year

2023 was a very successful year for the representatives of Svetlost Association and career practitioners of Šabac Job Info Centre. In the past twelve months, soon after a Job info centre was opened in this town on the benches of the Sava river, local partners of the “Education to Employment (E2E)” project presented different services and reached a large number of users. All resources of the E2E project have been put into good use through the WBL, cooperation with schools, and working individually with users of services, but a number of the most popular ones stands out.

During 2023, the representatives of this Job Info centre in the territory of Srem, Mačva, Kolubara, and Podrinje provided the career guidance and counselling services to 800 users. In parallel with doing this job, they stressed that they also worked on their own upskilling. It was possible for them to do this due to a large number of visits paid by the officials who evaluated their work, but also due to the getting together of institutions and organisations striving to promote employment and share their ideas.

“This year was fraught with challenges because we entered it without having enough experience in the “Education to Employment” project. Thanks to the support of all project employees in the first place, but also that of other broker organisations which are implementing this programme the same as we do, I did not consider my job as work but rather saw it as learning and self-development“, Saša Despotović said.

As we have learnt in Svetlost Association, now, 12 months after, they are happy with the results they have achieved as well as their now-improved competences.

The WBL, or work-based learning, programme proved to be really advantageous. In justa a short period of time, they managed to introduce a modification in the agreements made with employers. Many companies accepted them and that is exactly the direction in which they adjusted their own training programmes for their new staff.

The total of 41 people has acquired valuable experience through paid apprenticeship implemented in 6 companies for different profiles – print operator, sewer, kitchen assistant, waiter/barman, and other.

“Companies are really satisfied that besides financial support, they have also received support in the training of in-company mentors, keeping of the documentation, as well as throughout the implementation of the project“, Despotović said, adding: “We are slowly bringing to an end our second cycle and now there is some uncertainty about the new, third, cycle, for which we are sure that it will be very interesting both for our local partners and the companies and trainees“.

Some of the career guidance and counselling tools that were developed within the project stand out for their use and positive comments received from the users. Those are the following: competency flash cards and VR experience for the job of a welder, as well as a special virtual experience which will further gain in applicability with the presentation of new professions.

Participation in employment fairs, cooperation with schools, and numerous sessions implemented with several hundred primary and secondary school students throughout Mačvanski county, as well as the group and individual sessions in the Job Info centre’s office, contributed to the concept of career guidance and counselling coming into life and contributing to the better prospects and empowerment of business competences for all users of this, now already popular, programme.

Text and photo: Mirjana Čvorić / Edited by: Sandra Vlatković