The Belarusian employment service trained 7.4 thousand unemployed people in January-September.

October 11, Minsk /BELTA/. In January-September of the current year, the employment service of Belarus has directed over 7.4 thousand people to vocational training, retraining, and skill enhancement programmes, which constitutes 5.1% of the unemployed individuals seeking employment. This information was provided to a BELTA correspondent by the Department of Employment Policy of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

This year, the largest number of "vouchers" for vocational training to acquire a new specialty or improve skills have been allocated to the unemployed in the Vitebsk and Gomel regions (1.6 thousand and 1.5 thousand people, respectively), while the smallest number was in Minsk (almost 600).

The State Programme for Employment Promotion of the Population of the Republic of Belarus for 2013 envisages directing 12.5 thousand unemployed individuals to vocational training, retraining, and skill enhancement, including 2,270 people in rural areas. It is anticipated that at least 70% of them will be directed to training based on employer requests with a guarantee of subsequent employment.

In accordance with the legislation, priority for vocational training is given to unemployed individuals under 21 years of age, who are seeking work for the first time and do not have a profession. Priority is also maintained for orphans and young men of conscription age. Special attention is paid to the vocational training of youth, women, and disabled individuals. In 2013, it is planned to organise training for citizens released by other employers; parents obliged to reimburse the state for the costs of maintaining children under state care; and individuals involved in labour by the administrations of the penal system institutions and therapeutic labour dispensaries of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who require training.-0-