The main purpose of the Call for Employers is to provide technical and financial assistance to private sector employers in need of qualified labour force, through the organization of various work-based learning opportunities via the WBL Training Platform
for current or future jobseekers, mainly focusing on youth under 30 years of age, but not excluding other potential participants, particularly from vulnerable groups. The E2E promotes decent work and will support companies who offer decent employment conditions.
This Call for Employers shall be implemented in selected territories of Serbia through the E2E network of local partners – called “brokers”. The Eligible territories are presented within the Figure 1
In total 75 Mio. RSD funds are available for this Call.
The E2E will provide support for employers who invest efforts in acquiring qualified work force among eligible beneficiaries.
WBL TRAINING PLATFORM
APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS/PROCEDURE
Step
1
Companies submit Expression of Interest via SmartME, local partners-Brokers or E2E Email Address
Step
2
Cooperation with Local Partners/Brokers for the development of a “Full Application” via SmartME
Step
3
Decision Board Committee (WBL approval or rejection) - (15 days) (twice a month 15th & 30th)
Step
4
Contracting under numerous requirements (max up to 3 months from Decision Board)
TRAINING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT: (5-15 days)
SELECTION OF TRAINEES/BENEFICARIES
SELECTION OF MENTORS
BUDGETS
Step
5
START of Implementation (1-6 months)
1st Instalment to companies – 50% of the overall final budget
Step
6
Final Assessment of Trainees by External Assessor
Step
7
Reporting Obligations & Final Payment
Final Payment 50% upon approval of all reporting obligations
NIRAS - IP Consult is a Germany-based consulting company that is mandated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to implement the program ‘From Education to Employment’ (E2E). The E2E improves the position of youth on the Serbian labour market through modernization of youth employment policies and the development of young skilled labour demanded by the private sector.
The main purpose of the Call for Employers is to provide technical and financial assistance to private sector employers in need of qualified labour force, through the organization of various work-based learning opportunities via the WBL Training Platform for current or future jobseekers, mainly focusing on youth under 30 years of age, but not excluding other potential participants, particularly from vulnerable groups. The E2E promotes decent work and will support companies who offer decent employment conditions.
This Call for Employers shall be implemented in selected territories of Serbia through the E2E network of local partners – called “brokers”.
Depending on the available funds, decentness of proposed workplaces and other specific conditions, applications from other territories may be taken into consideration.
This Call is designed for companies who are lacking competent workforce. By participating in one or more measures (Window 1-3) offered under this Call, selected employers may receive:
Application for one or more of the offered windows shall be accepted from employers who fulfil the following administrative criteria:
Priority shall be given to employers who
During the evaluation process applicants that agree to open their doors for the Job Shadowing program for youth will be granted higher evaluation points and 2% less co-financing of the main windows.
NOTE: Companies will be encouraged and incentivized to adapt their workplaces to people with disabilities if needed, and/or request longer training durations for people with disabilities.
Several rules shall apply to all candidates trained under separate windows (1-3):
NOTE: Additional requirements apply for each of the WBL Training Platform Windows.
In total 75 Mio. RSD funds are available for this Call.
The E2E will provide support for employers who invest efforts in acquiring qualified work force among eligible beneficiaries. The budget for the training shall be the result of a joint funding of the following costs:
The budget shall propose employer’s co-financing that shall be at least (according to the Accounting Law, as presented in the APR classifications):
a) 30% of the overall budget for entrepreneurs, micro and small companies
b) 50% of the overall budget for medium and large sized companies
The Work-Based Learning Training Platform covers various programs/windows depending on the specific characteristics of the beneficiaries and the needs of companies:
1. Standard E2E Work-Based Learning Program for 2-6 training months for unemployed persons without formal qualifications and work experience in the envisaged occupation.
2. Short-term traineeship for 1-2 months, with the option to extend up to 4 months for jobs that require higher education, particular for the following target groups:
a. unemployed persons with formal qualifications and/or work experience and for students of the final years of VET schools/university in the requested profile or
b. integration into workplaces that do not require previous formal qualifications/experience.
3. Upskilling/reskilling for 1-4 months intended for current workers younger than 30 years and hard-to-place persons regardless of the age engaged on flexible forms or definite/indefinite employment contracts. Further info is provided in Window 3 description
Upskilling is the process of training workers new skills, for example due to the new equipment procurement. Upskilling may involve occupational as well as other skills (digital, language, organizational skills) .
Re-skilling is the process of training a worker to fill completely different occupation in the same company, due to the business development. It usually involves training on a new skill set to adapt to new functions.
Job Shadowing (bonus program) – “open door days” for pupils and students to visit employer’s premises and to spend 1-5 days for job shadowing with their assigned mentor. Employers applying to programs 1-3 shall be granted financial incentive if they apply for the bonus program in parallel. The bonus program may also be used independently outside of this call (please consult your broker).
Eligible companies shall be supported by the E2E local partners – called “brokers” – which are organizations mandated by NIRAS - IP to collect applications and develop full training programs jointly with each employer. Brokers organize and conduct several activities important for the training programs, such as:
Interested employers are invited to contact directly one of the brokers for assistance in Kragujevac, Kruševac, Pirot, Knjaževac, Požega, Niš or Šabac using the contact details on the last page. Applications can also be submitted directly through the SmartME application platform, in which case broker will be automatically assigned to assist further the process. Applicants need to specify concrete needs for their skills and envisaged number of candidates for each of the windows.
Business entities that meet the conditions for participation can apply for several windows at the same time by applying:
The precise conditions for applying and list of eligible beneficiaries are listed within each program window.
Step 1: EoI - Expression of Interest (template annexed within each window)
Interested employers are invited to fill and submit an Expression of Interest using the online-based fund management software SmartME or using the contact details on the last page.
Applicants need further to specify their concrete needs for skills and the preliminary number of trainees for each training program and/or number of employees for reskilling/upskilling.
Applicants submit separate EoIs for:
Step 2: Full Application (templates annexed within each window)
Upon checking the eligibility criteria and potentials of the local labour market, the E2E local brokers will provide feedback, and coordinate the participation of other interested parties, such as the local/regional VET school for conducting e.g. the theoretical training or checking the availability of potential candidates for trainings, and compile the full programme offer in close cooperation with the chosen applicant. Full applications with budgets and supporting documentations are submitted exclusively by the broker via the online-based fund management software SmartME. The templates for full application and budget are provided in annexes within each window description.
Applicants submit separate applications for:
Supporting documentation to be attached to the full programme offer:
NIRAS-IP reserves the right to request other evidence relevant to the decision.
All personal data submitted to NIRAS – IP Consult will be processed exclusively for the purpose of participating in the Call for Employers, and in accordance with the Serbian Law on Personal Data Protection.
Access to personal data will only be given to authorized persons who are obliged to maintain the confidentiality of personal data and will not be disclosed to the third parties, unless it is necessary for the purpose of controlling the procedure of conducting the Call i.e. auditors, external evaluators, brokers.
NIRAS – IP Consult will keep personal data within the period provided by the Law, in addition to application of appropriate technical, organizational and personnel measures. Persons whose data are processed have the right to access, correct and delete their own data, the right to limit the processing of their data, the right to object and the right to a complaint to the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.
The evaluation of applications will be done in three consecutive steps through the online based fund management software – SmartME:
Evaluations shall be done by order of arriving until the exhaustion of available funds. Decisions are made twice a month and applicants will be timely informed of the outcome of the evaluation process. NIRAS-IP reserves the right to ask for further documentation, further clarifications and/or an on-the spot check of an offer. Validity of decision is up to three months, and if the contract between brokers and company is not signed in that period, decision is void.
This Call is opened throughout the year. The deadline for applying is 30/06/2023.
Applicants whose offer is approved by the Decision Board will proceed with contracting. Contracts are concluded between the employer and the broker, meaning each program is defined under separate window with its budget.
All employers financed under this Call shall be requested to respect decent work fundamentals for their trainees and workers by providing healthy and safe working conditions, fair remuneration, social protection and prospects for personal development. Employers shall ensure equal opportunities and treatment for all and encourage social integration and freedom of expression and organization. Special attention shall be devoted to the respect for the physical and mental integrity by securing workplace that is free from violence, bullying, victimization and harassment.
NOTE: Evaluation and contracting procedure usually takes up to 6 weeks.
Obligations of the selected employers are provided within each of the programs on the Platform (1-3).
Please submit your interest for the WBL Training Platform via the 1st Step Expression of Interest (template annexed with each window) directly through the online application platform SmartME on our E2E homepage. The 2nd Step Full Application will be afterwards submitted by brokers in close cooperation with each applicant via SmartME
ANY QUESTIONS? - CONTACT US:
"GREEN" JOBS IN THE PUBLIC CALL - Priority shall be given to employers who deal with:
Those employers will also have an advantage:
DIGITAL JOBS AND TRAININGS - jobs for which a person must possess highly specialized, advanced ICT skills, ie possess knowledge in the following areas:
(Please first read “General Information” to the Call)
Companies that lack skilled workers are invited to apply to jointly develop work-based trainings in the duration of 2-6 months. Examples of training occupations are provided in Annex 1.
Eligible applicants shall be those private sector companies who:
Eligible training programs shall be developed in accordance with the E2E methodology: i) SKA Needs Analysis (SKA= Skills, Knowledge and Attitudes) in the companies, ii) developing occupational competence profile, iii) designing modern WBL curricula to acquire the competences within the requested profile.
Each WBL course consists of a theoretical training provided by the local/regional vocational school or externally engaged teacher and a practical training in the workplace at company’s premises. It provides opportunities to combine theory and practice, whereas more than 80% of the curriculum is work-based learning in the company. This allows trainees to learn in real-life situations and become part of a company and working culture. There is a prospect for accreditation of curricula in accordance with the new Law on NQF as JPOA.
shall fulfil the following conditions: i) have adequate qualifications and/or work experience and interest to become instructors with successfully completed training for mentors within the E2E program or within the Dual Education ii) be assigned to maximum 3 trainees (ratio 1:3). Please see Box 2 for information on in-company mentors’ training.
Trained in-company instructors (mentors) are an asset to a company that wants to approach and integrate new workers in a systematic way. Appointed in-company instructors for the E2E windows shall be invited to attend a 3-day mentor training related to the role of being mentor, how to successful communicate with trainee, structure the training planning etc. Mentors already trained by the E2E or through the Dual Education shall participate only in a 1-day training for the proposed curriculum.
Eligible beneficiaries shall be persons who fulfil all the following conditions:
NOTE: Eligible applications shall keep focus on youth and propose participation of at least 60% of persons under the age of 30.
For further details in relation to the application procedure, evaluation criteria, decision making and deadlines see “General Information”.
Templates for EoI, Full Application and the Budget are in annexes 2, 3 and 4 of this window.
Selected employers shall be obliged to:
1. First installment in the amount of 50% of the donor's contribution from the Final Budget upon:
2. Second installment in the amount equal to the difference between the amount of realized costs reported and approved in the final financial report and the amount paid in the first installment after the successful implementation of the training program, based on:
Eligible costs and co-financing rules: The budget for the training shall be the result of a joint funding of the following eligible costs for the duration of the approved training:
a) outsourcing theoretical training to an external organization registered for education/training preferably a local/regional VET school or engaging a preferably teacher/professor.
b) using in-house trainers e.g. company employees with proven didactical competencies for conducting theoretical training. NOTE: This option can only be used if the company has registered an internal training centre and commits to the obligatory co-financing for theoretical training of minimum 75%;
Depending on the size in accordance with the Law on Accounting, selected employer shall be obliged to co-finance the budget with min. 30% and 50%, for micro/small/entrepreneurs and medium/large, respectively, as well as budget lines for salaries/wages, contribution for trainings, and broker’s costs in the same percentage.
NOTE: Re-applying companies shall present higher co-financing (min +2,5%) with each new application. Companies applying for bonus program may apply with lower co-financing of (max -2%).
(Please first read “General Information” to this Call)
Companies that lack skilled workers are invited to apply to organize traineeships in the duration of 1-2 months with an option to extend up to 4 months for higher level education jobs. Examples of training occupations are provided in Annex 1.
Eligible applicants shall be those private sector companies who:
Eligible in-company professionals - mentors shall fulfil following conditions:
i)
have adequate qualifications and/or work experience
ii) be assigned to max. 5 trainees (ratio 1:5),
iii)
attend two-day info-seminar.
Eligible beneficiaries shall be persons who fulfil all of the following conditions:
NOTE: Eligible applications shall keep focus on youth and propose participation of at least 60% of persons under the age of 30.
For further details in relation to the application procedure, evaluation criteria, decision making and deadlines see “General Information”. Templates for Expression of Interest, Full Application and Budget are in annexes 2, 3 and 4 of this window.
Selected employers shall be obliged to:
The budget for the training shall be the result of a joint funding of the following eligible costs for the duration of the approved training:
NOTE: Full theoretical training is mandatory only for those candidates who have not acquired a VET school diploma or university degree in the occupation/workplace for which they will be trained. Other trainees need to receive only health and safety theoretical training, but without budgeting.
Depending on the size in accordance with the Law on Accounting, selected employer shall be obliged to co-finance the budget with min 30% and 50%, for micro/small/entrepreneurs and medium/large, respectively, as well as budget lines for salaries/wages and broker’s costs in the same percentage.
NOTE: Re-applying companies shall present higher co-financing (min +2,5%) with each new application. Companies applying for bonus program may apply with lower co-financing of (max -2%).
Companies are invited to apply for increasing competences of their existing workers for 1-4 months. In this way workers can learn new skills or broaden their knowledge to match the company’s requirements. The main outcome of this program shall be an improvement of the position of their existing workers within the company.
NOTE: An employer with up to 5 employees has the right to include one worker in the training. Employers with more workers can include in the training one worker per each 5 employees.
Upskilling is the process of teaching workers new skills, for example due to the new equipment procurement. Upskilling may involve occupational as well as other skills (digital, language, organizational skills).
Re-skilling is the process of training a worker to fill another position in the same company. It usually involves training on a completely new skill set to adapt to new functions.
Benefits for employers using reskilling or upskilling methods in the workplace are wide ranged:
Eligible applicants shall be those private sector companies who:
Eligible training programs shall depend on the specific needs of a company/candidate. In this sense the program may be conducted through an in-house training, or through an accredited external training provider (JPOA). If done in-house, the training program shall be based on the competences (Training Needs Analysis) defined and developed by the company with assistance of the broker and approved by the NIRAS-IP Consult PIU. In case of certified training providers, accredited training program may be used.
NOTE: Basic IT training will not be eligible for assistance under this Call.
Eligible beneficiaries shall be workers who are under 30 years of age, and hard-to-place persons regardless of the age who are:
NOTE: Workers engaged indirectly via temporary employment agencies may be included in the training provided that they are hired by direct employment contract (ugovor o radu) with the employer-applicant prior to the beginning of the training program.
Eligible in-company professionals - mentors if the training is done in house shall fulfil following conditions: i) have adequate qualifications and/or work experience ii) are assigned to maximum 5 trainees (ratio 1:5), iii) attend two-day training organized by the broker.
For further details in relation to the application procedure, evaluation criteria, decision making and deadlines see “General Information”. Templates for Expression of Interest, Full Application and the Budget are in annexes 1, 2 and 3 of this window.
Selected employers shall be obliged to:
Financial obligations and dynamics of payments towards of selected employers
NIRAS-IP allocates funds to the broker for each of the training programs based on the approved final budget corresponding to that training program in two installments as follows:
1. First installment in the amount of 50% of the donor's contribution from the Final Budget upon:
2. Second installment in the amount equal to the difference between the amount of realized costs reported and approved in the final financial report and the amount paid in the first installmentof after the successful implementation of the training program, based on:
Eligible costs and co-financing rules: The budget for the training shall be the result of a joint funding of the following eligible costs for the duration of the approved training:
Depending on the size in accordance with the Law on Accounting, selected employer shall be obliged to co-finance the budget with min. 30% and 50%, for micro/small/entrepreneurs and medium/large, respectively, as well as budget lines for salaries/wages, contributions to training, JPOA training provider costs and broker’s costs in the same percentage.
NOTE: Re-applying companies shall present higher co-financing (min +2,5%) with each new application. Companies applying for bonus program may apply with lower co-financing of (max -2%).
Companies are invited to open their doors to the school community for job shadowing days. Shadowing opportunities for young people last between 1-5 days (4 hours per day).
Benefits of Job Shadowing
Job shadowing is a useful way for pupils and students to learn about a particular job of interest. It is a form of short on-the-job training that allows young persons to follow and closely observe a company employee performing the role.
It helps youngsters gain a real-life experience outside of the classroom and help them decide whether they want to pursue a particular career path before applying for further education, job or internship.
Benefits for companies
For employers, job shadowing is an investment in the future. Finding time to meet with young people (or those interested in a new career path) doesn't pay immediately, but to boost community outreach, entice future staff and boost your company brand may make it a worthwhile endeavour.
Companies applying for Window 1 or 2 within this Call can also apply for job shadowing for any position, regardless of the WBL/traineeship occupation. Successful applicants will be awarded with lower co-financing percentage of max -2% for the main training(s) if they realize job shadowing program during the implementation of the main contract.
NOTE: Companies may also apply for job shadowing program throughout the year by contacting the broker outside of WBL call. In this case companies do not need to meet eligibility criteria of this Call.
No, suitable companies need to be registered at least 18 months before the application submission.
Please consult with the local partners (“brokers”) in the region and visit the Job Info Center for further advice in terms of individual Career Guidance and Counselling upfront and how to apply.
No, beneficiaries included in the E2E measures cannot be simultaneously beneficiaries of other subsidized programs
Yes, persons within the final year of the University education or master students can be included in the traineeship (Window 2), under the condition that they are to be trained in the occupation they are studying for and provided that they are ready and willing to accept the job if offered after the training.
Yes, the budgeting is the same. Window 2 “traineeship” also envisages theoretical trainings, only with shorter duration (depending on the proposed curricula)
Yes, persons already working in the company are budgeted with their current salary/wage.
In approval process:
At the end of the training program:
In case of external provider for theoretical training the actual cost must be covered by the following supporting documentation.
In approval process:
At the end of the training program:
Yes, window 3 Reskilling-upskilling can be used also for soft skills (in that case it would be upskilling).
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