HCOP IT WORKS

HCOP IT WORKS Projects run under the Human Capital Operational Programme implemented in 2007–2013 in the Regional Labour Office in Katowice

Top returns from investing in people

KATOWICE 2015

BEST PRACTICES Projects run under the Human Capital Operational Programme implemented in 2007–2013 in the Regional Labour Office in Katowice

INTRODUCTION

The Human Capital Operational Programme (HCOP) in the Śląskie Region is an instrument of socio-economic change which ran from 2007–2013 across the entire region. The positive transformations thanks to EU funds are visible in the region’s largest cities, in smaller towns right down to the rural areas of the region. Thousands of people took advantage of the programme as project participants in a wide range of training, advisory and work experience programmes, but also utilised non-returnable subsidies to set up businesses. The Regional Employment Authority in Katowice was

responsible for assessing the quality of the applications and then for their correct implementation, and also carried out its own system projects. The HCOP had a big effect on the other operational programmes being implemented in the regions, providing well-trained staff to oversee key investments. Thanks to the programme, there was an increase in human capital and as a result, a rise in the quality of services provided by Śląskie businesses, institutions and organisations, which made it possible to actively counter the negative effects of the global economic crisis.

Grzegorz Sikorski head of the Katowice Regional Labour Office

Edition Publisher: ECC-CF / p-content.com ul. Piotrkowska 59 lok. 13u, 90-413 Łódź On request of: Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy w Katowicach ul. Kościuszki 30, 40-048 Katowice http://wupkatowice.praca.gov.pl http://efs.wup-katowice.pl i

ISBN 978-83-930168-3-9

Issue: 250

Editor: Maciej Mazerant Interviews: Maciej Mazerant Layout and DTP: Maja Ruszkowska-Mazerant Proof: Justyna Muszyńska-Szkodzik Cover photo: Maciej Mazerant Photos: Agnieszka Fierek Graphics: Michał Justyna PM: Ewa Siwczak / WUP Translation: 1bt.pl Print: Sagalara 3

CONTENT

CONTENT

PIOTR MULET Adapting to change page 30

SANDRA JURCZYŃSKA Minus 30 plus page 16

MILENA KOTARSKA My future on my own business page 54 TOMASZ GOSZTYŁA Start with SSTP page 36

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CONTENT

ARKADIUSZ ŚLIŻ PLCs as an opportunity for Śląskie micro-businesses page 48

MIŁOSZ MARKIEWICZ Effective humanists in the labour market page 22

BEATA KOZŁOWSKA Start with SSTP II

BERNADETA KRZAK Mature and active

page 42

page 10

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HCOP – IT WORKS

HCOP IT WORKS The increasing competitiveness of the knowledge-based economy, as well as the development of entrepreneurship among the residents of Poland is what lay behind the introduction of the Human Capital Operational Programme (HCOP) in 2007–2013. Among the main causes of the lack of competitiveness and innovation in the regions were the low level of social capital, mental barriers, the absence of the learning habit, and underestimating the value of investing in human capital. The strategic goal of HCOP was to utilise human potential, both individual and social, in broadly understood processes of change.

Over four thousand agreements, three and a half billion zloty contracted to implement projects – these are the effects of the intensive work undertaken not only in the institutions responsible for running the programme in the Śląskie Region, but also by the project coordinators and the actual participants in the undertakings financed by EU funds. Realising these so-called soft projects brought about developments in education, research, the labour market, the role of companies in the region, a widening of the range of activities engaged in by the authorities

and public institutions, but also improved the situation of the unemployed, disabled or socially excluded. In recent years, a range of such activities have been conducted, including: training, seminars, development and advisory programmes.

All thanks to the funds distributed by the European Social Fund as part of the HCOP. The Human Capital Operational Programme was intended to directly translate into increased employment and the increased ability of businesses in the region, and their employees, to adapt.

It positively influenced the increasing level of education, reducing the sphere of social exclusion, and supported the building of administrative structures in the region, and of individual self-governing bodies, at the same time increasing social and territorial cohesion across the entire region. EU funds provided the tools for making positive changes on the national level, in the regions, cities, towns, villages and in the people that live there. This EU programme became a synonym of the opportunity which the residents of the Śląskie region seized with both hands.

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PRIORITY VI Improvement of access to employment and support for professional activity in the region Measure 6.1 Improvement of access to employment and support for professional activity in the region Measure 6.2 Support and promotion of entrepreneurship and self-employment

DOBIESZOWICE

MINUS 30 PLUS

PIEKARY ŚLĄSKIE

EFFECTIVE HUMANISTS IN THE LABOUR MARKET

KATOWICE

Measure 6.3 Local initiatives for the increase of the level of professional activity within rural areas PSZCZYNA

8

32,331 The number of long-term unemployed who benefited from the support under the Measures of Priority VI of HCOP

MATURE AND ACTIVE

DOJRZAŁY I AKTYWNY

73,148 The number of women who participated in projects covered by the Measures of Priority VI of HCOPP

MYSZKÓW

PLN 1,161,524 thousand Funds expended on implementation of projects covered by the Measures of Priority VI of HCOP

654 The number of agreements signed for the implementation of projects covered by the Measures of Priority VI of HCOP SOSNOWIEC

42,766 The number of young people who benefited from the support under the Measures of Priority VI of HCOP

119,649 The number of people who benefited from the support under the Measures of Priority VI of HCOP

4,883 The number of disabled people participating in projects implemented under the Measures of Priority VI of HCOP

Today’s labour market, whether in urban or rural areas, imposes more and more requirements on prospective employees.

A response to those needs was Priority VI of the Human Capital Operational Programme, 2007–2013, which provided an improvement of access to employment and gave greater support for professional activity in the regions. Individuals’ lack of appropriate professional qualifications, experience, knowledge of how to effectively seek employment, and the lack of funds to create their own employment were the key problems in coping with the competitive labour market in the Śląskie Region. Thanks to the projects implemented across the whole region, unemployed people, including young people aged up to 25, the long-term unemployed, the disabled, people aged over 50, farmers and community activists had the opportunity to participate in training, professional counselling, psychological counselling, obtained grants for the startup of their own businesses, establishment of social co-operatives and bridging support. But most of all, they gained the feeling that, thanks to their participation in projects financed by EU funds, they were capable of changing their professional situation, and in consequence their lives, for the better.

*Data refer to the Śląskie Region

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MYSZKÓW 10

MATURE AND ACTIVE

MATURE AND ACTIVE Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VI The Labour Market Open for All

Measure

6.1 Improvement of access to employment and support for professional activity in the region

Sub-measure

6.1.1 Support for the unemployed on the regional labour market

Beneficiary

County Labour Office in Myszków

Period of implementation

1 April 2014 – 30 June 2015

Value of the project

PLN 1,566,732.81

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MYSZKĂ“W

BE BRAVE Bernadeta Krzak

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MATURE AND ACTIVE

I’m 52 years old. I feel I’m a fulfilled, happy woman.

Family is extremely important to me. I have a grown-up son and since two months ago, I’m a grandmother.

I like fashion and cosmetics. I do nordic walking and I really enjoy going on cycling trips with my husband.

i

BERNADETA KRZAK Beautician Salon Image Myszków www.image-salon.pl

Is it easy to keep professionally active after the age of 50?

I don’t think so, no, but it all depends on the individual. There are a number of factors involved, such as where you live, your health and educational level. It’s definitely easier in larger towns, because there is a greater variety of work on offer. I think it’s easier for men to find work. Women find it harder, but you have to be active and take matters into your own hands. That way, you’re sure to succeed. It’s worth being bold.

How do older people differ from other employees?

A mature worker, thanks to their

experience, ensures greater stability in the workplace, is fairer in relation to the employer, is happy to have found employment at an older age and repays that with their diligence.

How did it come about that you had to change jobs?

Five years ago, I decided together with my husband to move out of Katowice. We moved to a small town called Żarki Letnisko. In Katowice, I had a job in Katowice which I liked very much. For the first two years I commuted to my office. However, the commuting was quite wearing and my health didn’t allow me to continue, 13

MYSZKÓW

I’d always wanted to work as a beautician, but when I was a young girl, there weren’t any courses for it, so I decided to become a nurse. I spent 15 years working as a nurse and then I decided to change career. I went to beautician school. I swapped nursing, where you care for the whole body, to caring for specific parts of it – the arms, face, hands.

so I had to find work in the town.

I registered as unemployed.

I looked for work on my own via the papers, Internet, visiting job centres. I visited Małgorzata Łapeta from the Image salon.

Thanks to her, I was able to gain some work experience and training and gain new qualifications.

I also became more confident and found my current clients.

Why did you decide to change profession?

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What advice would you give to those looking for work?

To believe in themselves, talk to their families, read the papers, search the Internet, knock on the doors of different institutions.

If they have a plan in mind, go to the employment authority and use the project financing from the European Union, subsidies, work experience, assisted employment. You have to be very determined and believe you will succeed. If I had the opportunity, I’d participate in another EU project.

Maybe next time I could get a subsidy for some equipment.

MATURE AND ACTIVE

AID PACK Anna Męcik-Szymak “Mature and active” Project coordinator

„

The greatest problem in the process of looking for a job is not the process of looking itself, but poor evaluation of chances of finding it, both by women and by men. It weakens the fight for return to the labour market. Lack of self assurance will not help you in learning about the current requirements of that market and gaining new knowledge and experience.

In the process of preparing unemployed people aged 50+ to look for a job, in the majority of cases, similar techniques are used as in working with other registered persons. The main thing is working on their motivation, because they often have

low self-esteem resulting from a series of failures in looking for a job and the unwillingness encountered on the part of employers, due to their age. Another factor is the lack as far as their knowledge is concerned regarding the labour market, information about the professions which are currently in demand and adjusting their skills and experience to current reality. Unemployed people often expect help in the process of writing job applications which are necessary in the effective search for employment. All assistance in the area is provided by professional advisers.

Programmes with a broad spectrum of support should clearly enjoy the greatest interest, because the theoretical knowledge gained within the framework of training, supported by practical knowledge obtained, for instance, in the process of work experience or subsidised employment will be a solution that reinforces the knowledge acquired from professional experience. This range of help offered to a project participant should prove effective enough to bring about tangible effects in the form of being offered employment and maintaining such employment.

County Labour Office in Myszków

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PIEKARY ŚLĄSKIE 16

MINUS 30 PLUS

MINUS 30 PLUS Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VI The Labour Market Open for All

Measure

6.1 Improvement of access to employment and support for professional activity in the region

Sub-measure

6.1.1 Support for the unemployed on the regional labour market

Beneficiary

County Labour Office in Piekary Śląskie

Period of implementation

01.01.2014–30.06.2015

Value of the project

PLN 580,131.90

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PIEKARY ŚLĄSKIE

BUSINESS OF YOUR OWN Sandra Jurczyńska

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MINUS 30 PLUS

I’m interested in everything to do with drawing and portraiture.

In my free time, I play the violin and sing. I’m a home-lover.

I have four siblings and we’re as thick as thieves. Mostly, though, we limit ourselves to more honest endeavours, such as watching Disney cartoons, enjoying American comedies or making music together.

i

SANDRA JURCZYŃSKA Owner of the business DISEGNO Pracownia Projektowa Piekary Śląskie www.disegno.com.pl

What are the most common problems of women on the labour market?

In my view... versatility. Modern woman adopts many social roles.

Joggling with roles and being good in each of them should prove that women manage their time and tasks efficiently. However, the employers often hold different view and feel safer with males.

a decent portfolio, my CV got lost among others.

Is it hard to find a job in your profession, an architect?

When you have no documented career achievements It is very hard to push as far as the interview. Despite the internship and

Did the intership satisfy you?

My self esteem was healed after long and fruitless job search. The company where I trained appreciated my work and the holders offered the intention letter, that

The programme offered a number of valuable forms of support. What was your choice?

Prior to the internship I attended the mandatory training in active job search. The advice offered proved useful during the first interview. I learned about many ways of job seeking.

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PIEKARY ŚLĄSKIE

helped me to win funding of my own business operation.

How does the internship differ from the regular employment?

With the internship, both parties are aware of the benefits coming from the externally funded employment. When you hold a “true” position, your employer measures quality of your work against the company profits. When you run your own business, you are responsible for the results. This translates to higher quality, and longer hours too.

How do see your future?

I would like to continue with the present jobs. Design the interiors, 20

graphics and teach drawing. My objective is to build reputation whereby I need no advertisement and the whisper marketing will suffice. I also work with my friend on building a brand of handmade china decoration.

How would you encourage other women to sign up to the training programme?

Showing them that any activity is better than idleness. In my case, the internship initiated a number of fruitful events in my professional life.

MINUS 30 PLUS

COMPRESSIVE AND DIVERSE APPROACH Jolanta Nas “Minus 30 plus” Project coordinator

„

Working with people aged under 30 in the project showed that that young people entering the labour market reveal a number of deficits which need to be systematically eliminated in order to get them off the mark. We should develop their ability to move about in a highly-dynamic labour market and the systematic, planned management of their own professional careers. Women, in particular, appreciate information about the forms of support which help them to reconcile their family and professional obligations.

We implemented all the forms of support anticipated in the project, but the

majority of people came here to gain experience as interns. Work experience is the best form of acquiring professional experience for young people, but it is used with equal enthusiasm by employers, because during this period they have the opportunity to assess and prepare a potential employee.

Young, unemployed persons entering the labour market, expect decent job offers from the job centre, and high wages, good working conditions, professional satisfaction and the possibility of promotion and recognition from their employer.

Employers, asked about their expectations of young job candidates, most

commonly mention professional qualifications, flexibility, good selfpresentation, a high level of education, professional experience.

The purpose of the project was to increase the chances of employment of people aged under 30. The totality and variety of the support was intended to ensure the main aims of the project were achieved, as well as to encourage people from the target group to participate in it.

I think that the final results are the best proof that both objectives were achieved.

County Labour Office in Piekary Śląskie

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KATOWICE 22

EFFECTIVE HUMANISTS IN THE LABOUR MARKET

EFFECTIVE HUMANISTS IN THE LABOUR MARKET Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VI The Labour Market Open for All

Measure

6.1 Improvement of access to employment and support for professional activity in the region

Sub-measure

6.1.1 Support for the unemployed on the regional labour market; Projects of separated cross-border co-operation

Beneficiary

The Inicjatywa Association

Period of implementation

1 July 2013 – 31 Mar 2015

Value of the project

PLN 1,099,669.21

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KATOWICE

I LEARN EACH DAY Miłosz Markiewicz

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EFFECTIVE HUMANISTS IN THE LABOUR MARKET

I’m an art historian and culture lover, I adore baroque iconography and modern art. In the theatre, I’m attracted by its ephemeral nature and the constant feeling of discovery. I spend my free time reading, particularly modern Polish prose. People ask difficult questions.

I can’t agree to simplistic thinking.

Does studying the humanities prepare you for the job market?

The humanities prepare you for work exactly the same as the sciences or technologies. They give a particular basis of knowledge and abilities which we can then make use of. For me, being active in academic groups or in the student parliament was a good test of various skills. Likewise, volunteer work. i

MIŁOSZ MARKIEWICZ Employee Teatr Śląski Katowice www.teatrslaski.art.pl

How do you rate your participation in the project?

I’m very satisfied. It’s thanks to that I’m doing what I do now, working in the Teatr Śląski in Katowice – the place where I did my work experience. The skills

and contacts I gained in the training during my work experience turned out to be extremely useful.

How many people took part in your course? How did you get on with them?

During training, we were divided into groups – there were a dozen or so in my group. We had a wide range of experience, we came from different educational backgrounds, had different views.

So finding out what it was like to work together was an interesting experience. The opportunity to hear entirely different opinions on the same issue, supported by solid arguments, is extremely valuable – it teaches humility, 25

KATOWICE

but also enables you to improve your negotiating abilities.

A lot changed after your work experience?

The work experience was important for me, because it enabled me to experience situations I’d never even imagined before. Mine was in the theatre, where there’s no place for stagnation – a lot happens very quickly. Thanks to that I had (and still have!) the feeling that I was constantly developing. Apart from that, I was treated really well by a lot of very supportive people.

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Did you learn something from your work experience you weren’t taught at university?

Above all, I learned about myself.

I also found out that if you love what you do, you’re prepared to make a lot of sacrifices. I also definitely learned how to react well tounforseen situations. In short – the impossible is only impossible in name. I also found out specifically how to apply the knowledge gained at university in my present position, and also – and I think this is the most important thing – how to explain complicated things to people in simple words.

What are your plans for the future?

I definitely want to continue working in culture – it gives me the chance to fulfil myself and to enjoy working, as well as constant development. This is the first step in an adventure which is only just beginning…

EFFECTIVE HUMANISTS IN THE LABOUR MARKET

PARTNERSHIP NETWORK Hanna Kostrzewa “Effective humanists in the labour market” Project coordinator

„

The moment when graduates make farewell to the campus is of key importance.

In an ideal situation, they enter employment straight away, ideally in a job which is related to the subject they studied. But the reality is different – in particular in the case of graduates of the humanities.

At this point, projects implemented with European funds may prove to be useful – in particular training-internship projects. Training may help to supplement the knowledge of graduates, whereas internship may enrich their professional experience, so vital in the labour market.

European Funds can supplement academic education with practical elements which are particularly important for young

people. The aim of the project was to address the problems and issues of young humanists and help them to gain professional experience, often their first serious experience. The goal of the project was also to support the development of young graduates, raising their competences, increasing their knowledge and offering them opportunities for professional development.

We managed to analyse the labour market of the culture sector in depth, thanks to the research conducted during the initial stage. Thanks to specially selected training, we were able to prepare interns for the types of work to be performed and, thanks to the analysis of the interests and aptitut-

des of the participants – to effectively and appropriately prepare them for the types of locations in which they were to have their internships. Through supervision, we could monitor, on an ongoing basis, the increase in competences of project participants, and, at the same time, support them in case of any problems or misunderstandings. Thanks to the involvement of a wide spectrum of entities (NGOs, institutions, companies) in the project, we created a network of partnership. Finally – which is particularly important – we adapted the INKAS methodology developed at the University of Bohum. INKAS facilitates filling of the available work places with the jobless who initially do not hold skills and knowledge necessary for these positions.

The Inicjatywa Association 27

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PRIORITY VIII

START WITH SSTP II

Developing the workforce and businesses in the region Measure 8.1.1 Supporting the development of professional qualifications and business advice Measure 8.1.2 Supporting the processes of adaptation and modernisation in the region

DOBIESZOWICE

PIEKARY ŚLĄSKIE

KATOWICE

649 The number of agreements signed for the implementation of projects covered by the Measures of Priority VIII of HCOP PSZCZYNA

28

ADAPTING TO CHANGE

13 The number of long-term unemployed who benefited from the support under the Measures of Priority VIII of HCOP

MY FUTURE ON MY OWN BUSINESS

40,537 The number of women who participated in projects covered by the Measures Priority VIII of HCOP

MYSZKÓW

PLN 514,167 thousand Funds expended on implementation of projects covered by the Measures of Priority VIII of HCOP PLCs AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ŚLĄSKIE MICRO-BUSINESSES

START WITH SSTP

SOSNOWIEC

9,884 The number of young people who benefited from the support under the Measures of Priority VIII of HCOP

90,809 The number of people who benefited from the support under the Measures of Priority VIII of HCOP

160 The number of disabled people participating in projects implemented under the Measures of Priority VIII of HCOP

DOJRZAŁY I AKTYWNY

Companies and their employees, in order to succeed in a competitive market, both on a global and local scale, must systematically raise their competitiveness.

Thanks to the European Funds distributed under Priority VIII of the Human Capital Operational Programme, 2007–2013, it was possible to strengthen businesses in the Śląskie Region by supporting their biggest capital – human resources. It was also possible to implement programmes through which people facing redundancy or already made redundant received the support necessary to effectively find their place in a new reality. Thanks to the measures covered by Priority VIII of HCOP, both general and specialised training was carried out along with comprehensive business advice. In addition, training was conducted, along with professional counselling, psychological counselling, job matching, professional work experience, as well as subsidised employment supporting the inhabitants of the region in taking up jobs in a new professions and with new employers.

Dynamic changes, new technologies, work optimisation, improved efficiency, these are terms which shape the image of a contemporary economy. As a result, employees have to keep up with change and develop professionally in order to retain their jobs, as well as, perhaps even more so, to derive satisfaction from them. *Data refer to the Śląskie Region

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PSZCZYNA 30

ADAPTING TO CHANGE

ADAPTING TO CHANGE Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VIII Regional human resources for the economy

Measure

8.1 Developing the workforce and businesses in the region

Sub-measure

8.1.2 Support for developing professional qualifications and business advice

Beneficiary

SYNERGY for development Association

Period of implementation

1 Oct 2012 – 28 Feb 2015

Value of the project

PLN 4,549,178.48

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PSZCZYNA

YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! Piotr Mulet

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ADAPTING TO CHANGE

I began my adventure with chess in 1983, and my first club was MDK Pszczyna. I live in Pszczyna with my wife and two children, where I’m one of the leading tournament chess players. I’m a FIDE International Master. I want to inspire the younger generation with the love of chess.

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PIOTR MULET Owner of the business Szkółka Szachowa Pszczyna, Tychy www.szkolkaf7.pl

Employment restructuring in a company where you’ve been working for several years, or even sometimes several decades, is highly stressful for an employee. How do you cope with such a situation?

I was unemployed for nine months, and now I can tell you, it was a nightmare. Losing my job was a big blow to me. I was 40 years old at the time and the majority of those made redundant were older than me, and they had it even worse, they became really depressed. I started working on the railway when I was 23, I was a chief conductor for 15 years.

When I was made redundant and had to go to sign on for

unemployment benefits, it was really depressing. My money was slowly running out.

Did your bad luck end when you took part in the project?

A friend told me about the training. The advisor I spoke to encouraged me to take part in the project. She asked me what could I do. I told her about the chess, which I’ve been playing my whole life. I’ve won numerous chess tournaments and I’m an International Master with the FIDE world chess organisation. I thought I’d like to teach kids to play chess.

I said to myself – you only live once! So I applied for funding.

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PSZCZYNA

running my own business as if it was a matter of honour. I wanted to do well. My chess brain helped me in that. Thinking about what it will be like in one year, or two.

How to set about it, how to prepare and to plan it. Now, I’m independent.

Without it, I wouldn’t have coped.

The costs of setting up and maintaining a company in the initial phases are really high.

How did taking part in the project help you change your career?

The advisory service was most helpful. The meetings with a professional advisor and a psychologist. If I had to put it in percentage terms, which elements were most important to me, it was 20% advice, 50% funding and 30% long-term and bridging support.

What do you recall of your first steps in business?

I’ve always been determined.

I approached the challenge of 34

How do you like working for yourself?

Chess is my passion, so I decided to teach others. I started teaching classes in Pszczyna, now I’ve got another group in Tychy. Currently, in my third year of operating, I teach several groups of kids who I meet once a week.

Are you optimistic for the future?

I’m planning the ongoing development of my schools, perhaps to include other towns. If I were starting out now, I’m sure I’d do it all differently. Fortunately, I’ve got a lot of customers and my business is growing. I don’t regret starting my own business. I didn’t have to take part in “casting” sessions for new employees and beg for a job. I decide for myself, and I do what I love.

ADAPTING TO CHANGE

THINK “YES” Magdalena Cholewińska “Adapting to change” Project coordinator

„

The foundations of our co-operation with persons who become unemployed through group redundancies were avoidance of a stereotypical approach, openness to the personal resources contributed by the client and a positive attitude – a belief in the individual potential of clients and their ability to use this crisis for their own benefit. The classic way of thinking about people with a low level of education is not only discriminatory and, in effect, harmful, but very often unjustified. We should not, even must not, take the level of education as a basis for judging the level of intellectual potential, competences or personal-

ity features which may determine the client’s professional success.

Our clients for the outplacement projects were mainly people aged over 45.

According to our long-term experience, which may be surprising to many people, is that the key form of support for mature people is psychological work in the area of confidence in one’s own strength, the sense of one’s own value and readiness for change. The most important internal barrier to the continued professional development of such people is the sense of being “too old, unnecessary, unwanted”.

All subsequent forms of support (train-

ing, work experience, job matching) will not be effective unless we change the attitude of clients to themselves, to their potential employers and their professional futures.

Fortunately, a great advantage of work in this type of project is the uniqueness of the history of each of the participants.

The meetings and talks with our clients were not only fascinating, but also instructive: we learnt to overcome our clients’ barriers, at the same time learning about ourselves – as people and workers on the project.

SYNERGY for development Association

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SOSNOWIEC 36

START WITH SSTP

Foto: Sosnowiec Science and Technology Park (SSTP)

START WITH SSTP Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VIII Regional human resources for the economy

Measure

8.1 Developing the workforce and businesses in the region

Sub-measure

8.1.2 Support for developing professional qualifications and business advice

Beneficiary

Local Development Agency

Period of implementation

1 Sep 2013 – 30 June 2015

Value of the project

PLN 1,478,937.00

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SOSNOWIEC

BELIEVE YOU SUCCEED Tomasz Gosztyła

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START WITH SSTP

I was educated to be an engineer, completing studies at the AGH University of Science and Technology. It was in Krakﾃｳw that I became interested in motorisation and designing specialist vehicles. Work, in which I apply innovative solutions gives me a great deal of satisfaction and is very fulfilling.

The job market is dynamically changing. How do you cope with that?

The job market is an economic mechanism which undergoes constant twists and turns. In order to cope with it, you have to set a clear path of development best suited to your passions and interests. i

TOMASZ GOSZTYﾅ、 Owner of the business DUMAS Sosnowiec www.dumas.com.pl

What made you decide to participate in the project?

I took part because I wanted to become independent and develop my interests. The project enabled me to believe in the sense and logic of starting my own business. With the help of specialists

from various fields, I learned how to run a business, I acquired specific knowledge and gained experience.

Who helped you believe in the success of your own company?

It was thanks to the highly qualified trainers and specialists at the Sosnowiec Science and Technology Park (SSTP), their experience, practical knowledge and outside perspective on my idea that I believed in the success of my budding business.

What was the most difficult thing during the project?

The toughest thing was to over39

SOSNOWIEC

come my internal barriers, which had previously been too great an obstacle to me. The doubts and questions: Will I cope? What’s the point? What will happen if I fail? All that meant that I hadn’t taken the idea of running my own business seriously, to my own detriment, until I took part in the SSTP project.

Car design – where did the idea for the business come from?

The idea was connected with my passion, which is cars and mechanical engineering. Combining these two spheres, as well as the desire to create something

40

exceptional is the driving force behind my business, enabling us to build and develop new designs for specialist vehicles. Our satisfied customers drive us to work harder and keep developing.

What would you say to people who are at risk of losing their jobs and are afraid for their futures?

Above all, you have to believe in your abilities and take matters into your own hands. Our suture depends on us, not on our employer. It’s us who have to act, nobody can do it for us. We’re fighting for our future, we succeed in what we do best and we

shouldn’t be afraid of setting up our own businesses as they can be the solution to our problems.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

Thinking about my future, I think about expanding the firm, employing a dozen or so new employees to make new products and investing in innovative technologies to update the machine park. Taking part in the project gave me the knowledge and experience that allowed me to plan effectively and take rational decisions.

START WITH SSTP

MUTUAL SERVICE PROVISION Anna Kopka “Start with SSTP” Project coordinator

„

More than once, the threat of redundancy has been the stimulus for specific steps aimed at starting one’s own business.

Such people have a strong motivation to start doing business and often develop their business ideas excellently. Sometimes, they need to be supported in this process with the appropriate instruments and the opportunities for developing their concept. Sometimes, the needs of participants are hidden, but they appear in the process of providing various forms of support, which is definitely a result of what happens within the project. That’s why we are aware that a project should react quite flexibly to meet the needs and any changes in its participants.

Certainly, for all project participants, financial support, both in the form of subsidies and bridging support was the element which they expected when registering for the project. And that’s no surprise, because a lack of funds for the start-up of one’s own business is the greatest barrier to people interested in running their own business, especially for those who have lost their job. A large number of participants, already during the project, strongly appreciated the possibility of participation both in counselling and in training. These forms of support made many people aware that there are areas which still needed to be developed before starting up their own

businesses, that there were elements which still needed to be verified and researched before going into business.

Another very important aspect is meeting other participants and establishing co-operation. That is because it turned out that one of the participants in the project had developed a vehicle for another company, some participants have rendered services to others with the businesses they started. Those companies are still co-operating despite the fact that the project has ended.

Local Development Agency

41

MYSZKÓW

DOBIESZOWICE 42

START WITH SSTP II

START WITH SSTP II Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VIII Regional human resources for the economy

Measure

8.1 Developing the workforce and businesses in the region

Sub-measure

8.1.2 Support for developing professional qualifications and business advice

Beneficiary

Local Development Agency

Period of implementation

1 Jan 2014-30 June 2015

Value of the project

PLN 1,667,609.00

43

DOBIESZOWICE

GREAT IDEA

Beata Kozłowska

44

START WITH SSTP II

I’m someone who can patiently work to a goal. As a mother of an eight-year-old boy, I try to apply the rules of conscious, healthy nourishment. I love travelling with my family.

I also get a lot of enjoyment from serving customers in my shop, the direct contact and conversations.

An idea, a passion, skills, education? What’s most important on the labour market?

Today’s labour market shows that advantages such as education and experience are not necessarily the most important thing or enough in themselves. It’s very important to be flexible in your decision-making, to have a good idea and see it through. i

BEATA KOZŁOWSKA Owner of the tasty food shop Przedsiębiorstwo Handlowe Dobieszowice

What persuaded you to take part in a project whose end result was intended to be having your own business?

The shop which I started isn’t my first business (I already ran one for 15 years) and I knew that

I still wanted to be answerable to myself. I’d been preparing already for quite a while to open a health food shop, and the project helped me put together the funds I was lacking. I’d already chosen the location, so I just needed to actually build the store, and that carried with it quite an investment.

Why did you want to run your own shop?

The idea of opening a health food shop was born out of observation, out of my own needs and conversations with people from the local community about healthy eating. I know myself how much time it takes to do the 45

DOBIESZOWICE

grocery shopping. I needed a single place where I could buy good smoked meats without preservatives for my eight-year-old boy, fresh dairy produce and bread without chemicals in it.

I also needed somewhere, where I could buy local produce and traditional Polish produce from other regions.

way to the goal. You also need to be aware that having your own business isn’t just about eight hours work. So that everything works well, you have to be wellprepared and have a back up plan if there are problems. It’s a big mistake to think that if you’ve got the idea and the subsidy then it’ll all somehow work out.

Is it difficult to run you own business at the moment?

The decision to set up a firm must be properly thought through. You have to do a thorough calculation for the planned business, so that you don’t run out of funds half-

What will your next steps be for the business?

I still have a lot of new ideas connected to developing my shop and gaining new customers.

I’m thinking about setting up an internet store. I’m employing

46

a dietician, who will offer consultations to customers with health problems. I’m also planning to set up a small cafe with tasty and healthy products.

START WITH SSTP II

MOBILISE Monika Zając “Start with SSTP II” Project coordinator

„

Looking at and evaluating the projects through the prism of their participants, we come to the conclusion that the group which is most motivated to become entrepreneurs is the group of people allocated for redundancy, because their motivation is not to be unemployed and, once they have their notices of termination in their hands, they act with great energy. Second comes the group of people who have already been made redundant, who are right at the beginning of being unemployed, whereas people who have been unemployed for some time have a worse position. In such cases, their discouragement connected with not find-

ing a job acts to their detriment – another failure, no response from employers after sending their CV one more time, or after another interview. Meanwhile, the last group, namely people at risk of redundancy, perceive self-employment as a chance for additional income and their activities are not usually very fruitful.

Having an interview with an employment committee – talking to practitioners – business experts, revealed the knowledge that was lacking and the opportunities for conducting a business activity. At that moment, it showed who could research a market, who knew who their competi-

tors were, what costs they would incur during the project and what they would incur when running their business, how they would find clients, whether they had a rescue plan in case the idea did not prove successful, how they priced their service or product. Many of the prospective entrepreneurs also did not have even basic knowledge of how to make a market analysis, of the legal aspects of running a business and, of course, dealing with the Tax Office and the Social Insurance Office. That is why we conducted activities aimed at the elimination of the above barriers.

Local Development Agency

47

MYSZKÓW

SOSNOWIEC 48

PLCS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ŚLĄSKIE MICRO-BUSINESSES

PLCs AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ŚLĄSKIE MICROBUSINESSES Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VIII Regional human resources for the economy

Measure

8.1 Developing the workforce and businesses in the region

Sub-measure

8.1.1 Supporting the development of professional qualifications and business advice

Beneficiary

4system Polska Sp. z o.o.

Period of implementation

01.11.2013–31.03.2015

Value of the project

PLN 585,030.47

49

SOSNOWIEC

NEW KNOWLEDGE Arkadiusz Śliż

50

PLCs AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ŚLĄSKIE MICRO-BUSINESSES

I prefer the mountains to the seaside, summer to winter.

Tea in the morning, rather than coffee. When the weather’s good, I ride my bike a bit. I like sci-fi and apocalyptic fantasy movies, as well as the cult Polish comedies from the Bareja era. I’m waiting impatiently for the latest Alien film to come out. I like rock and blues.

i

ARKADIUSZ ŚLIŻ Head of the software section Bacom Sosnowiec www.bacom.pl

What you do involves professional skills. Is it difficult to find training that facilitate personal development and helps to increase your skills?

Fortunately, there are plenty of professional training over the Internet. I was after the proposals tailored to my profession at www.inwestycjawkadry.pl and found what suited me.

ment of my qualifications. Furthermore, time and venue were favourable and did not interfere with the job I had then.

How did you learn about the training? What did convince you to participate?

I learned about the training from the provider. And I signed up because the subject was interesting and conforming with the develop-

The labour market alters quickly.

Will such training help in beating it?

Training certainly helps in acquisition of new skills, builds confidence against challenges and motivates to the next try. It provides well defined skills and knowledge

Which pieces of the training proved most useful and why?

First of all, I gained access to the top class hardware which otherwise I could not touch.

51

SOSNOWIEC

about the evolving labour market.

However, you must not forget about learning by yourself.

What would you advise to those who plan to join the EU financed training programmes?

Chose the trainings that provide a professional certificate, because the employers value the documented qualifications.

How much the acquired knowledge and skills help in everyday tasks?

My job involves programming of the entry counters: the devices

52

which count customers visiting the shop. My company plans to improve the product with functionalities I learned about on training. The training helped in updating my professional knowledge.

Will you join another EU funded training?

Certainly. If I need new skills in my job, I would try to find an EU project since it is the best way to increase my qualifications.

PLCs AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ŚLĄSKIE MICRO-BUSINESSES

SKILLED STAFF Katarzyna Napieralska “PLCs as an opportunity for Śląskie micro-businesses” Project coordinator

„

Competition, the customer, supplier or employees drive change. Getting the best employees, motivating them to work effectively, keeping them fully involved and ensuring that their qualifications enable them to carry out the company’s strategy or plans is a challenge which every employer faces, regardless of the size of their business.

Training such a large number of experts was extremely important for the region’s economy, for its competitiveness.

Sixty-four representatives from over a dozen Śląskie companies took part in the training. Workers from companies operating in technological areas, crucial

for the region’s economy, identified in the Śląskie Region’s Technological Development Programme, 2010–2020 also received support.

Specialist training usually involved programming PLC controllers, among other things. This was added to by an e-learning module consisting of 26 hours for each participant. In total, each training session lasted 66 hours, and the whole thing was concluded with an exam confirming the skills learned.

The main benefit connected with participation in the project mentioned by the largest number of beneficiaries,

was learning to use PLC drivers at work.

Equally important for participants in the training was increasing their professional competence, thanks to which they increased their self-confidence, motivation, sense of security and also their professional aspirations.

Thanks to the training it was possible to raise the abilities and qualifications of the participants in the project to that meeting the demands of employers and, at the same time, the demands of the competitive world market.

4system Polska Sp. z o.o.

53

MYSZKÓW

MYSZKÓW 54

MY FUTURE ON MY OWN BUSINESS

MY FUTURE ON MY OWN BUSINESS Programme

Human Capital Operational Programme

Priority

VIII Regional human resources for the economy

Measure

8.1 Developing the workforce and businesses in the region

Sub-measure

8.1.2 Support for developing professional qualifications and business advice

Beneficiary

County Labour Office in Myszków

Period of implementation

1 Sep 2013 – 31 Mar 2015

Value of the project

PLN 1,142,023.46

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MYSZKÓW

MOTIVATION Milena Kotarska

56

MY FUTURE ON MY OWN BUSINESS

I’m interested in travel and good food. I like to spend my free time with my family. I have a husband and two daughters. I like good movies, especially comedies, although of late, I mostly watch fairy tales. I relax in the open air. Unfortunately, I don’t do sport, but I used to run. I sometimes read a good book to unwind.

i

MILENA KOTARSKA Owner of the business Manufaktura Piękna Myszków

Was being self-employed an accident, or a meticulously executed plan?

A meticulously executed plan.

I intended to set up my own business for several years. However, a lack of capital meant I wasn’t able to put the plan into action.

tions, who often demand years of experience from the people they employee. In the beauty industry, part-time and even quarter-time contracts are quite common, as well as freelance work. Unfortunately, in most cases this comes with low wages.

How does working for yourself differ from working for somebody else?

Thanks to being self-employed you above all take control over your own earnings and have a free hand in deciding the direction of development of your firm.

Working on a contract involves meeting your employer’s expecta-

What made you decide to work in the industry then?

I was trained as a beautician.

I chose it because I loved it. The beauty industry has developed rapidly in recent years. More and more women want to look good.

Doing business in the field is a good investment for the future.

57

MYSZKÓW

How did you get involved in the project? What persuaded you to take part in it?

I learned about the project from the local press. Then I went to the Job Centre in Myszków, and there I found out that I met the criteria to participate in it and without a moment’s hesitation, I decided to take part. It was a massive opportunity for me to realise my plans.

Which elements of the project were most valuable from the point of view of a participant?

For me, the whole thing was valuable. The money I received to grow my business was extremely important to me. On top of that I received monthly financial assistance for six months, thanks to which I could pay the ongoing costs of running the business, which made the start much easier.

What advice would you give to those considering starting their own business?

Nothing motivates you to work like running your own business.

However, it’s only for those who have the right personality, who are self-disciplined, organise their

58

time well and have some marketing ability.

How do you see your company in a few years’ time?

To survive and make a name in this business, you can’t stand still, you must never stop learning.

If it’s necessary, I’ll participate in another project financed by the EU. In the future, I’d like my salon to be a place where you walk in, drink a great cup of coffee and make yourself look divine from head to foot.

MY FUTURE ON MY OWN BUSINESS

COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT Sylwia Wolska “My future on my own business” Project coordinator

„

Not all unemployed people have the desire and motivation to start their own business. However, for some, running a business, as a form of professional activity, can turn out to be a good and effective solution. Those who decide to start their own company want to demonstrate they’re working for themselves by making their own decisions. Often, in this way they fulfil their professional ambitions connected, for example, with the need for personal development.

At the stage of business training, many project participants had problems preparing their own business plan for the coming years. Thanks to the project, we

learned how important and beneficial support is for the unemployed who want to start their own businesses. Our participants received professional advice, individual consultations and were also provided with psychological workshops.

They took part in the ABC of Business training, which prepared them for running their own business. Once they had become business people, they could take advantage of three hours with a business trainer, or with a specialist from a particular area, according to need.

businesses to a total of 40 000 zł. At the same time, we provided them with assistance for the first six months of running their businesses in the form of bridging support worth 1,600 zł per month, to cover their ongoing costs connected with that activity. We couldn’t have carried out such a project without EU funds.

Thanks to the competition project we were able to pay out to project participants funds for the development of their

County Labour Office in Myszków

59

PRIORITY IX Development of education and competencies in the regions Measure 9.3 Popularisation of formal, lifelong learning Measure 9.6 Promoting adult learning

DOBIESZOWICE

PIEKARY ŚLĄSKIE

KATOWICE

92 The number of agreements signed for the implementation of projects covered by the Measures of Priority IX of HCOP PSZCZYNA

1,051 The number of long-term unemployed who took advantage of support under the Measures of Priority IX of HCOP

5,314

MYSZKÓW

The number of women who participated in projects covered by the Measures Priority IX of HCOP

PLN 51,336 thousand Funds expended on implementation of projects covered by the Measures of Priority IX of HCOP

SOSNOWIEC

2,548 The number of young people who took advantage of support under the Measures of Priority IX of HCOP

8,840 The number of persons who took advantage of support under the Measures of Priority IX of HCOP

494 The number of disabled people participating in projects implemented under the Measures of Priority IX of HCOP

Lifelong learning is the basis for the effective and satisfactory functioning of employees in any business, organisation or institution in the labour market.

The skilful adaptation to a changing reality through education and the formal confirmation of qualifications ensure a sense of psychological security and help people withstand the potential crises connected with a change of job, or even profession. Under Priority IX of the Human Capital Operational Programme for 2007–2013, a number of projects were implemented whose purpose was to develop the education and competences of the inhabitants of the Śląskie Region.

Advising adults in diagnosing their needs and selecting the directions and forms of increasing their competence or raising their qualifications, as well as increasing the competence of adults in the field of ICT and foreign languages, so necessary today, may prove to be of key importance in building the economic and social capital of the region. An educated society, well-prepared for the challenges posed by the modern economy, aware of the requirements imposed on it by the local and regional labour market constitutes a key element in the competitive advantage of the Śląskie Region gained thanks to EU funds.

*Data refer to the Śląskie Region

NOTES

NOTES

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Top returns from investing in people

The publication supported by the EU with the European Social Fund Free issue ISBN 978-83-930168-3-9