Tashkent, 16 November – On 13-14 November UNDP and the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations conducted a two-day workshop on Monocenter “Ishga marhamat”: a comprehensive approach to providing quality services to the unemployed for Monocenter staff from all regions of Uzbekistan.

Tackling youth unemployment and reshaping the future of work is one of the most urgent challenges that governments face. UNDP closely works with and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan to promote skills and professions as well as vocational education to create environment and pre-conditions for employment for youth, especially for 2/3 of population underage of 30, University graduates who enter the labor market.

The workshop aims to improve the existing skills and to acquire new skills of representatives of the Monocentres from the regions of Uzbekistan in providing vocational training services. The activities of the seminar are aimed at increasing the capacity of the employees in such areas as: 1) Basic principles of effective professional interaction with the public, 2) International standards for evaluation of qualifications, 3) Interaction with the media, 4) Mechanisms to facilitate the employment of Monocentre graduates. This, in turn, will have an impact on the quality of the services provided by the Monocentres to the public, including those in need of social protection and the unemployed.

Seminar participant Shokhrukh Nuraliev said that "he has received a lot of useful and up-to-date information from expert trainers and this knowledge and skills will be very useful for working with the unemployed".

As Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Cluster leader of the UNDP Uzbekistan Diyora Kabulova emphasized: “The need to improve the skills of the population, especially in the current post-pandemic period, necessitates the establishment of an effective training system capable to provide quality vocational training services to the population. As we know, Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development of Uzbekistan calls for the promotion of inclusive and balanced growth through increased productivity and decent work for men and women. This goal also aims to significantly reduce the proportion of youth outside employment, education or professional training”.

During the seminar it was also held a handover ceremony of textbooks developed and adapted according to WorldSkills standards in 9 competences to the Monocenters «Ishga Marhamat». These manuals were developed within the framework of the UNDP project «Promoting Youth Employment in Uzbekistan» and in cooperation with the Monocenter of Yashnabad district of Tashkent on such required competences as men’s hairdresser, women’s hairdresser, cosmetology, sewing, cooking, pastry, plumbing, butler, electrician.

The director of the Monocenter for the provision of services to the unemployed population “Ishga marhamat” of Yashnabad district of Tashkent Nodira Umarova noted “This seminar provides a good opportunity to increase the competence of the Monoсentres' employees in working with the population, international organizations and other partners. We hope that as a result of the seminar, the quality of work of the Monocenters employees will rise to a completely new level».

The joint project «Adaptation of the skills of the population to the post-pandemic economy in the Fergana Valley» is implemented by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and UNDP with financial support of the Government of the Russian Federation.