In November, 2018, the European Commission and Georgian Government signed the Agreement “Skills4Jobs” in view to support the EU program “Development of Skills and their Compliance with the Labor Market Requirements”.

The Agreement envisages the EU to contribute 48.85 ml EURO. The official launch of the program has been declared at the event attended by MPs and Government Members, EU representatives to Georgia, European Training Center, vocational education officers and youth.

The Minister of Education, Science, Education, Culture and Sports, Mikheil Batiashvili and the EU Ambassador, Carl Hartzell opened the ceremony.

According to M. Batiashvili, education is a priority for Georgia, especially vocational education due to its direct link with the economic development, eradication of poverty and mitigation of unemployment. He thanked the EU for aiding Georgia in education system and human capital development. As the Ambassador stated, employment is crucial for every country and the job seekers shall know about the market requirements and have the respective skills.

The EU backed establishment of the mechanisms in Georgia such are study of the labor needs and employment centers.

The high level panel discussion has been held within the ceremony attended by the EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell, the Deputy IDPs, Labor, Health and Social Protection Minister Giorgi Vashakidze, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Culture Guguli Magradze and the panel was moderated by the Director of the European Training Foundation, Cesare Onestini.

As G. Magradze noted, the Education Committee has outlined vocational education as one of the priorities. It supports state policy implementation in this sphere. Significant changes have been introduced to the legislation in 2018 for facilitation to vocational education.

“The law adopted has eliminated so-called deadlock. In 2019-2020, we intend to establish the integrated programs and simultaneously with the college syllabuses, the students will have the opportunity to gain school certificates for advancing to the further stages. The law entitles the institute to re-invest own profits in capacity building and the law also allows the state financing private colleges as well. Thus, it introduces the new opportunity for lifetime education”, - she stated.

Vocational education allows the people mastering the new professions and getting employed.

The ceremony was accomplished with the exhibition of the craft by the vocational students.