On June 24, the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), together with the partner organization Abkhazintercont (AIC), hosted the EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell in Racha-Lechkhumi.
During his visit, the EU Ambassador met with the representatives of EDEC and AIC, where he was informed about the achieved results and planned activities within the EU-funded project “Learn, Exercise, Achieve, Receive, Network for Employment! (LEARN for Employment!)”.
He also toured the project-based Employment Service Center (ESC) in Ambrolauri, which offers career development and employment support services to the job seekers living in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti. The Ambassador met with CV training participants at the Center.
Carl Hartzell visited Irma Marozashvili, the project beneficiary, who, with the help of the the Employment Service Center (ESC), was hired as an agro-consultant at the “New Farmer 21”, the farmers’ service center in Ambrolauri. Irma is an internally displaced person (IDP), the representative of one of the vulnerable target groups of the project.
The EU Ambassador also met with the representatives of local employer companies: Wine Space, Wine Barracks, Tourism Information Center, Cibena Hotel, Racha-Olimpi Hotel, Khvachkara Hotel and Ambrolauri Airport. At the meeting, the employers discussed tourism potential and challenges of the region. Migration of young people from the region and lack of qualified staff in the tourism sector were named as the main problems.
Carl Hartzell also visited the vocational college “Erkvani” and got acquainted with the ongoing vocational programs. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the college “Erkvani”, Abkhazintercont (AIC) and the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC). Development and introduction of the new vocational program in the field of tourism is planned within the framework of the project “Learn for Employment” according to the memorandum.
