The Algarve Training Programme, which aims to stimulate employment, will be evaluated, adjusted to reality and relaunched "in good time" in 2013, this Tuesday announced the Secretary of State for Employment Pedro Roque. After a first year in which the adhesion of businessmen, namely in the tourist sector, was far from what was expected, the Government insists with «what can be called the Algarve 2 Training».
“The idea here is to try to assess what has been done in what is in progress, improve, but above all make a timely presentation. That is, the ordinance will be signed very soon and, also in a short time, there will be a presentation here in the Algarve so that entrepreneurs can join this program», revealed Pedro Roque.
On the sidelines of the signing of the protocol for the construction of the new center of the Employment and Vocational Training Institute of Vila Real de Santo António (VRSA), the nicknamed «father of Algarve Training» told journalists that the budget allocation for 2013 should be around the 2 million euros, although not yet defined.
A much lower number than in 2012, when the amount allocated to the program amounted to 5 million euros, but still significantly higher than what was actually used, «about 500 thousand euros». Money that was used to encourage the hiring or maintenance of workers and put them in training processes at times when there was less need for labor.
The funds used allowed training «500 people», but the Algarve Training ended up not being very successful in the sector for which it was designed, Tourism. In other areas, to which it has since been extended, there were several entrepreneurs to take advantage. "The company Frusoal, where we are [hosted yesterday's ceremony], was the first to join," he revealed. The ceremony also served to deliver training certificates to employees of this company, the largest private employer of VRSA.
Pedro roque added that he will meet in the next few days with Turismo de Portugal, to try to understand what can be improved in the program. One of the issues is identified at the outset, the fact that in 2012, the first year in which the measure was implemented, support was announced “very late”. "This time we will make the announcement in time and the program will be presented even before the end of the month", he revealed.
It has also been determined that the Program will cover various sectors of economic activity, not just Tourism. Civil construction and industry are just examples.
The member of the Government admitted that the program did not have the expected result, something that he considered was linked to the fact that “it was presented in mid-June, which is already too late in terms of business planning”.
As to criticism of the program which were made at the time by representatives of businessmen in the tourism sector and union members, Pedro Roque stressed “that the program will not be exactly the same as it was in 2012”. “The idea is to try to get the program right, also in conjunction with operators in the tourism sector. It is not just for tourism, but it is essentially for this sector, as it is the economic base of the region», he said.
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