Enhancing co-operation between chambers to improve employment in Satu Mare and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county

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The ENCOCH project aims to develop and deepen the existing professional relationship between the project partners (Romanian and Hungarian chambers) to address the common labour market challenges in the cross-border area. The project has a complex approach to develop the co-operation between chambers and other labour market actors in order to handle the employment challenges in the cross-border region in medium and long term. JUSTIFICATION – COMMON CHALLENGES: The cross-border areas affected by the project are Satu Mare county in Romania and Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg county in Hungary. The low level of employment – also based on statistical data – is one of the biggest labour market challenges in the cross-border area. The project area faces serious labour market challenges (low activity rate, high long-term unemployment rate, migration of skilled young people abroad, high number of vacancies). The level of cross-border labour mobility is still low between the two countries, not only because of the inappropriate transport infrastructure for commuting, the obvious language barrier, and the delay in Romania’s accession to Schengen area but also because of the poor institutional support and the lack of labour market services that would help job seekers from both side of the border to find job in the other country. The special objectives and the related activities of the project (development of a joint labour market analysis, integrated development strategies and action plans, establishment of an online cross-border labour market database, implementation of joint career orientation events and trainings) can help to manage the unfavourable labour market situation of the cross-border area. OBJECTIVES: The main overall objective of the ENCOCH project is to enhance the co-operation of local labour market actors in order to improve the matching of labour market needs in the eligible cross-border area. Specific objectives: Improving the co-operation between chambers and other labour market actors to support employment in the cross-border region; Developing a methodology for analysing and digitalizing cross-border labour market needs; Matching labour market needs through the implementation of cross-border labour market forums, joint trainings and career orientation activities   TARGET GROUPS: Direct target groups: SMEs – The SMEs in the cross-border region will benefit directly from the project through entrepreneurial trainings and PLATO program; education/training centre and school – educational institutions (and their students) offering vocational trainings are one of the most important target groups of the project because they are one of the key actors that can mitigate and manage the lack of skilled workforce. Indirect target groups: business support organizations of the cross-border area – as an important result the project will bring together all the relevant labour market actors to establish an institutional network. The managers and professionals of these institutions will be an indirect target group; general public – as the project contributes to the increase of the employment and the economic development of the region, potentially the total population of the two countries might benefit from the project’s results. BUDGET: The total eligible budget of the project is EUR 1 528 570. 00. The budget share of LP will be EUR 859 630.00 € (56,24%), the budget share of PP2 will be 553 520,00 € (36,21%) and the budget share of PP3 will be 115 420,00 € (7,55%). The budget is divided between partners according to the activities that they implement. MAIN ACTIVITIES: Elaboration of the integrated development strategy and action plans and other relevant documents, establishment of the online labour market database: Partners will develop their common integrated development strategy and country-specific action plans as well as other analytical and strategy documents. The aim of establishing a shared online database and website is to create a database and a digital platform that will make cross-border job seeking easier in both counties. Strengthening co-operation between the partners and other labour market actors: One of the specific objectives of the project is improving the co-operation between labour market institutions and other labour market actors to support employment in the cross-border region, for which we want to establish a cross-border labour market forum. Organizing career orientation events and professional trainings for the primary target groups: Linking to one of the project's specific objectives – ‘Matching labour market needs through the implementation of cross-border labour market forums, joint training and career orientation activities’ – the project partners intend to organize and implement cross-border career orientation events, vocational and entrepreneurial trainings. Establishment of a Training and Mobility Centre in Satu Mare: The establishment of the two centres in Romania will support all target groups to improve their professional competencies and help to design career orientation. Centres will also help residents, businesses, and directly jobseekers to face the labour market challenges successfully. Project management: PM is necessary for the coordination of all other project activities, as well as contacting and reporting to the relevant program bodies. The management will be provided by setting up a joint project management team consisting of staff members from partners and of external experts. Communication and dissemination activities: Communication and dissemination is becoming increasingly important to help the projects achieve their objectives and to disseminate the results among relevant stakeholders and the general public. The communication activities will be provided jointly, with the involvement of both partners, but the LP will be responsible for the coordination of the communication activities. EXPECTED RESULTS AND OUTPUTS: The ENCOCH project will contribute to the development of a common cross-border labour market by various joint activities targeting all labour market actors. Some activities under the program will directly contribute to the program output indicator - joint career orientation events (270 participants), common labour market forum (50 participants), joint vocational trainings (80), entrepreneurial trainings (164), internship program (40). Other activities will have an indirect effect on increasing the employment rate (establishment of the training and mobility centres, development of several labour market analysis and strategies).

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