In 2011, in line with the national policy priorities set on employment and regional development, as the main root causes of the revolution, the European Training Foundation (ETF) has directed its support in two main directions:

• assistance to the Ministry of Employment and Vocational education and training (VET) for the monitoring of its new Emergency Plan for Employment and capacity building on communication strategies for such plans
• support to the development, at regional level, of a comprehensive and participatory approach to human resource development in response to regional economic and social needs, in order to improve youth employability, region’s competitiveness and sustainable development.

This year, we will intensify its support to regional development of human resources in relation to local labour market needs, with focus on (i) building capacities of regional stakeholders, in particular regarding skills needs’ identification and forecasting, monitoring of work insertion, career guidance and counselling, SMEs needs, (ii) supporting a training “pool” or centre in one specific economic centre towards excellence of training through genuine partnership with the economic sphere.

This region-based approach aims to check the relevance of the regional scale for linking economic and training strategies and to inspire the reforms that should be elaborated after the nomination of the government following the first democratic elections of October 24, 2011.