This year, workers will finally be able to receive money for training in a foreign language, digital competence or a profession under the operational program “Development of human resources”. BGN 50 million have been set aside for training vouchers for employed people.
The scheme was supposed to start last year, but was delayed by the Ministry of Social Affairs. Of the total amount, BGN 10 million will be for companies, as well as for all nationally representative organizations of trade unions and employers. They will also be able to train their staff, but will have to provide co-financing.
For people hired on an employment contract, there is no requirement to pay extra for their training out of their own pocket, but for them, the requirement is that they have at most a secondary education.
The goal is for a total of about 25,000 employees on employment contracts – through employers and independently – to improve their qualifications, it is clear from the published draft of the procedure by the managing body of the operational program.
The vouchers are worth from BGN 400 to BGN 1,800 depending on the profession and the duration of training. The training must be in priority areas of the economy, it says in the conditions. Such, according to them, are construction, social and health workers, production, transport and others.
If the training is not in these priority sectors for the economy, then there is a requirement that at least half of the workers who will be trained in a company meet at least one of the conditions: they do not have a higher than secondary education or are over 54 years
For training in foreign languages, the voucher will be for BGN 700 for no less than 300 study hours and three language levels. A voucher for BGN 250 for 45 training hours will be given for digital competence training. Unlike previous similar schemes under the Operational Program distance learning will not be funded.
Companies that will apply for the training of their employees must provide co-financing.
Large enterprises must provide at least half of the funds for the training of their employees, medium-sized enterprises – 40%, and small enterprises – at least 30%.
However, if companies offer training to more of their contract workers with disabilities, the free European funding can increase to 70 percent.