Austrian-Croatian labour market cooperation 2009 – 2010

The Austrian-Croatian labour market cooperation 2009-2010 project was dedicated to the support of the Croatian labour market service in dealing with acute problems related to labour market policy.

The priorities of the project were the training and consulting of a special unit within the Croatian labour market service which was established specifically for the support of companies. The task of these mobile teams was to cooperate with companies in the attempt to reduce the impact of the economic crisis and to develop appropriate trainings for employees threatened by unemployment and/or to counsel and train already laid-off persons in order to find new employment with a different employer for them as quickly as possible.

In addition to the comprehensive training of these mobile teams, which are active in all of Croatia, the Croatian labour market administration is increasingly working on leaving behind the difficult post-war period and on re-establishing normal relations with its neighbouring countries. Not least for its similar language structures, a part of south-east Europe is predestined to form a common labour market in the future. In addition, the obligation of keeping the region stable as a precondition for being accepted into the European Union requires more intense cross-border cooperation and a normalisation of relations also in the field of labour market policy.

An additional focus of the Austrian-Croatian cooperation in the framework of this project was therefore also the transfer of know-how regarding methods, contents and organisational aspects, both in the field of cross-border cooperation and in terms of integration and consideration of thematically relevant institutions in the design of active labour market policy. In this respect, an international conference (with participants from Germany, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Austria, Croatia) under attendance of the Austrian and Croatian employment ministers was of special importance.

Individual work focus areas:

• Kick-off seminar: Services for companies
• Mobile teams – training 1: Dealing with laid-off persons – conversation techniques, conflict management, motivation
• Mobile teams – training 2: Consulting and cooperation in the field of companies
• Mobile teams – training 3: Establishment and organisation of employment market policy measures under special consideration of management and leadership aspects
• Croatian-Austrian labour market conference 2010: See program and presentations attached
• occasional cooperation consulting

Sponsored organisation: L&R Social Research; Project management: Walter Reiter

Partners: Vocational Training Institute (BFI) Burgenland, Vocational Training Institute (BFI) Croatia, Institute for Economic Promotion (WIFI) Croatia