UNDP contributes to the development of Azerbaijan's labour market
The Government of Azerbaijan and UNDP open a regional vocational training center in Baku

Baku, 11 May 2007 - "Employment is the key to poverty reduction and improvement of the population's living standards", said Fizuli Alakbarov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan (MLSPP) at the opening of a new regional vocational training center in Baku today.

The Center established within the joint project of the Ministry and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 'Development of Social Protection System and implementation of the selected activities of the National Employment Strategy' will provide vocational and skill training for the job seekers and unemployed registered in the Employment Offices of MLSPP. Situated in Darnagul district it will train applicants from Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron and other regions close to Baku.

According to the Minister, employment and social protection of the population are the main pillars of the National Employment Strategy for 2006-2015 approved in 2005. He said that the project will mainly contribute to the development of those skills which are in most demand of the labor market and thus employers. He invited local businesses to make use of the would-be certified specialists of the Center in the future. He announced that the Center would be able to train around 1000-1200 specialists a year.

International Labor Organization (ILO) assisted the Ministry in developing training materials for the Center for a number of specialties such as turning, carpentry, welding, dressmaking, etc. The training programmes designed by the experts of MLSPP according to ILO standards were approved by the Ministry of Education. Trainers of the Centre have been trained by ILO. The Centre will also offer computer and English language courses.

Speaking at the opening of the Center, UNDP Resident Representative Bruno Pouezat stressed that the role of the UN in the country was to support Azerbaijan's priorities. "The Azerbaijani President announced employment generation as one of his Government's priorities. The UN fully supports this priority. The challenge is to use the country's oil wealth for improving human capital and human skills to ensure the country's overall development", he said.

UNDP has been working with MLSPP in developing the social protection system in Azerbaijan and formulation of employment programmes since 2002. The most significant achievement of the project was the development of the National Employment Strategy (NES) which reflects the Government's employment policy for 2006-2015. In 2005, the NES was approved by President of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev. One of the priorities of the NES is development of the labour market including improvement of education policy that would meet the requirements of the labour market. NES recommends investment in human capital by using oil revenues, improvement of the capacity of technical and vocational training education, training of the people taking into account the economic needs and priorities of the country and stimulation of the development of small businesses and self-employment.

A similar vocational training center will be opened within the project in Goychay.


For more information:
Ms. Gulshan Rzayeva
Senior Development Adviser
Tel.: +99412 498 98 88 (ext.110)