THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO JOB CREATION

Under the leadership of Confindustria Serbia and supported by the Italian Embassy in Belgrade, Italian companies have been contributing strongly to the development of dual education in the country, through cooperation with both schools and the Serbian Ministry of education

Consider this: in 2015 a then small offshoot of Jagodina-based Italian company Aunde employed 200 workers, while its entire production was directed towards the local market. Over the course of the next three years, the number of employees grew to 750, while exports soon expanded to account for 80% of the company’s production. Along the way, in 2017, the company started cooperating with the Italian Embassy, Confindustria and the Serbian Ministry of Education, with the aim of implementing the dual education programme. Aunde provided industrial machines for the school it collaborates with, and has employed 40 young students over the past five years. At the beginning of 2020, Aunde won the award for “Contribution to the Implementation of the Dual Education System”, which is presented to the most successful members of Confindustria Serbia.

In a nutshell, this is how the win-win story of dual education in Serbia looks. But there are many more Italian companies

that have been contributing to the development of dual people aged from 15 to 29 when entering the workplace, and education in Serbia. Among them are Fulgar, Modital, Dafar, such apprenticeships can last up to three years, according to Tehnostruture, Promeks and many others. collective bargaining. Such an approach offers reduced costs

Italy’s contribution to the development of dual education for new entrants and training opportunities, increases the in Serbia is both practical and envisages support for schools work-related capabilities of young employees (learning-byto procure state-of-the-art equipment for school training doing) and provides the opportunity for companies to test and experts. Specifically, as of 2017, Confindustria Serbia, as new entrants through on-the-job training. the most important association of Italian manufacturing and The Serbian approach to dual education has certainly service companies, was included in the team of the Ministry learnt from different perspectives and experiences that have of Education. Italian executives thus gained an opportunity, led to a specific model. Within that model, dual education through the association, to influence the creation and estabonly serves to complement the current model of vocational lishment of a more efficient education system in Serbia, which will serve in the function of economic development.

One of the examples of the cooperation between the Ministry of Education, and Confindustria is the launch of the “National Day of Small and MediumSized Enterprises”, which - from 2017 onwards - became a series of events bringing together numerous Italian SMEs and local communities. On this occasion, Italian SMEs open their doors to students, professors and the local community, in an effort to raise awareness among younger generations about the importance of also learning within companies. Participants are given an opportunity to gain first-hand experience of a business environment and With young people now education and differs from the model employed in other European countries. the way particular companies operate. This enrolling in dual education Specifically, the National Model of Dual event also serves as an opportunity to establish a dialogue between the business world, education and local communities, throughout Serbia, it is good to know that the whole Education protects the general education system, while the fund of hours of professional subjects is divided into learning in while encouraging the entrepreneurial process is well supported by an educational institution and learning in spirit and the development of critical and creative thinking among young future Italian companies that a real work environment. In the words of Gabriela Grujić Ph.D., Assistant Minister of professionals. are looking forward to Education responsible for dual education Indeed, Italy has rich experience in this field. The two main forms of the dual system in Italy are “school-work welcoming new entrants and future employees and upbringing, education does not mean only the acquisition of knowledge, but also the way we teach young people to use alternation” and “apprenticeships”. The their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Italian “school-work alternation” was introduced with the The Serbian concept got its legislative form in the Law aim of improving the work-related skills of young learners. It on Dual Education, which was adopted by the National Asstarts with an agreement between a school and companies. sembly of Serbia on 8th November 2017 and began being As of 2015, school-work alternation became mandatory in implemented at the start of the 2019/2020 school year. secondary education in Italy. In the meantime, the number of dual educational profiles

On the other hand, Italian apprenticeships represent a implemented in 104 secondary vocational schools has grown labour and training contract with specific supporting legislato 37, while the number of companies participating in the tion; active mainly in the labour market, these apprenticeships implementation of learning through work has reached a total have limited connections with the education system. Italian of 880. Some 2,533 pupils were enrolled in the first year of apprentices are paid workers who participate in training high school in the 2019/2020 school year. This September courses/experiences in order to acquire different kinds of marks the second year of the concept, which Italian comqualifications. The target group for apprenticeships are young panies are contributing to strongly.