The second round of the TAKT Academy program successfully completed – an employment opportunity for 51 participants

Sarajevo, 13th of April 2017. With today’s issuance of certificates to all the successful participants, the second round of the TAKT Academy program is officially brought to a close. A total number of 51 participants will be given an opportunity for employment in some of the lead Bosnian-Herzegovinian companies that partook in the program as well.

“Following the call announcement, a total of 300 applications arrived at our address. The theoretical training for all the candidates that have passed the selection phase had commenced on 20th of February 2017, and the practical training commenced the following week. Today we are delighted to award certificates to each of the 51 participants, as well as to announce that twenty of them have already found employment opportunities in certain member companies of the ASA Prevent Group,” stated the chief executive of the Hastor Foundation, Seid Fijuljanin. He added that this program was organized together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and that it presents a unique opportunity for the youth to acquire competitive skills necessary for them to enter the job market.

Vice-president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milan Dunović, attended the award ceremony and used this occasion to emphasize the importance of tailoring the educational system in accordance with the needs of the job market. “A lot of recent discussions revolved around the negative influences of attempting to adjust the educational policies with the needs of the economy, in a way that this adjustment would create better opportunities for the new job openings. Even though this is the ultimate goal, in the future time, I maintain that we are currently in the situation where the needs of the economy must be regarded as more important, so that in the future the educational system truly increases the chances of finding employment and creating new job openings in various branches of the economy. TAKT Academy shows that the NGO sector is also capable of keeping us one step ahead in order to shape the workforce that has not yet acquired technical expertise in a way which suits our needs. The number of employed in Bosnia and Herzegovina has thus increased, and I think that this is a truly pro-active approach to employment policies. I have recognized the efforts of Hastor Foundation and gave a financial stimulant in order to show that the cooperation between the government and NGO sectors must result in new job openings.

This program primarily offers the youth training and professional development opportunities and completion of it results in employment of a great number of them, in accordance with the needs of the member companies which partook in the program. “TAKT Academy enabled us, the young undergraduates, to practically apply our acquired theoretical knowledge. For me, a young engineer, it was truly fascinating to see the new technology in action in some of the most dynamic branches of industry,” Ajna Omerović stated. She added that this is a unique example of how to keep the young workforce in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Chief executive of Addiko Bank dd Sarajevo, Sanela Pašić, addressed the participants and shared with them practical experience that would help them in their career development. “Our strategic approach is to support the children and young people, and so Hastor Foundation asserted itself as an excellent partner. TAKT Academy project is truly excellent, and thus it was my pleasure to share with the participants the practical experience on how to be as successful as possible in their vocations and bring merit to their future companies.

ASA Prevent Group significantly diversified its production and sales portfolio by continuously investing in means of expanding its business. A few years ago, due to the absence of adequate resources on the job market, the Group started an internal training for young graduates and undergraduates. At that time, this was a giant leap for one company. In time, that project gathered other partners as well, and today it has evolved into TAKT Academy, an easily recognizable program that ensures that the young people are given an opportunity for their first employment.