Bulgaria: National employment strategy 2021-30

The National employment strategy 2021-30 includes active measures, among others, for employees, employers, and learners. It aims to improve the quality of VET provision and to increase adult participation in lifelong learning. Its quantitative targets will be monitored through indicators compatible with the relevant EU policy framework.

The economic and social challenges of recent years, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on society, have been at the heart of the objectives and priorities of the Employment strategy 2021-30, adopted in July 2021.

The quantitative targets (e.g. 77.7% economically active people, 35.4% of those aged 25 to 64 should participate in training every year, etc.) will be monitored through a set of indicators for analysing progress approved by the Employment Committee of the European Commission, as well as through a set of indicators for reporting the progress on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Vision

The strategy envisages:

• the creation of a unified digital platform for online adult education, including training of unemployed and employed persons for acquiring professional qualifications and key competences;
•  a mechanism for public funding of the external evaluation of the results of professional qualification training;
• the update of qualification standards and VET curricula to improve the quality of the education process and ensure compliance of the acquired skills with the needs of successful employment and active citizenship;
• the update of the existing model for monitoring the quality of the vocational training provided by VET centres for adults.

Implementation measures

The strategy includes the following active measures:

• advanced training for the unemployed and training at the request of employers;
•  employee training;
•  import of labour force from third countries;
•  large-scale training of the population for the acquisition of digital skills, etc.

The successful implementation of the strategy largely depends on the sustainable partnership between institutions and stakeholders in the VET system.

Read more

Employment Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria 2021-30 (in Bulgarian)