National Training Fund
- Name of the instrument - Local language
- Krajowy Fundusz Szkoleniowy
- Name of the instrument - English translation
- National Training Fund
- Scheme ID
- 169
- Country
- Poland
- Reporting year
- 2020
- Type of instrument
- Grant for companies
- Sub-type of instrument
- Support for direct costs
- Type of entry
- Single instrument
- Short description
All organisations which employ at least 1 person (the type of contract is irrelevant) can apply for the grant from the National Training Fund. The eligible education and training activities include certified and non-certified continuing general education and CVET, postgraduate studies as well as exams that certify acquired skills and qualifications. The public co-funding share is 80% of employee training cost (but not exceeding 300% of the average monthly salary). In the case of micro-enterprises, reimbursement covers 100% of the training cost (but not exceeding 300% of the average monthly salary). Tuition fees and other costs related to education and training (such as cost of exams confirming acquired qualifications; physician and/or psychological test; insurance; analysis of training needs of the employer who is applying for the reimbursement) are considered eligible costs. There is no limitation to re-use the scheme.
- Short description of the related instruments
- Not applicable
- Level of operation
- National
- Name of a part of the country
- Not applicable
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- Not applicable
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- Not applicable
- Relevance
- Key instrument
- Legal basis
- Act on employment promotion and labour market institutions (art. 69a and 69b)
- Objective(s) and target(s)
- To support the lifelong learning of employees and employers; prevent the loss of jobs for those employees (and employers) whose skills are inadequate to the requirements of rapidly changing economy; increase the investment in human resources wich should improve both the competitive position of the companies and their employees in a modern job market.
- Year of implementation
- 2014
- Year of latest amendment
- 2016
- Operation/management
- The Ministry responsible for labour issues (Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (2005 - November 2015); Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy (November 2015-October 2020); Ministry of Economic Development, Labour and Technology since October 2020), sets priorities for co-financing, the method of allocation of the resources and the total sum of funding available each year. District job centres collect and assess applications from the companies, sign contracts with the companies, reimburse the cost of training. Representatives of trade unions and employers organizations are appointed to the Labour Market Council, which sets priorities for NTF operation for each year (20% of the total allocation of financial sources may be spent on training activitities according to these priorities).
- Eligible group(s)
- All companies/organisations which employ at least one person are eligible to apply for co-financing. In practice, support is available to these companies, which undertake training actions being in line with NTF priorities set for each year by the Ministry and the Labour Market Council. Self-employed persons conducting their business on their own cannot take advantage of NTF co-financing.
- Group(s) with preferential treatment
- Preferential treatment considers higher maximum co-financing for micro-companies (100%), while larger companies receive co-financing up to 80%. District job centres may also set the maximum amount of co-financing per company, with relative higher reimbursement for smaller companies. Moreover, enterprises that did not take advantage of NTF in the previous year have priority in the allocation of co-financing.
- Education and training eligible
- Certified continuing general education and CVET, post-graduate studies, exams that certify acquired skills and qualifications.
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
- Labour Fund (a State fund, governed by the Ministry being responsible for Labour issues; the main sources are: obligatory levies on companies (2.45% of total monthly payroll), State budget subsidies, Labour Fund's loans and investments interests, EU funds)
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
- Reimbursement of 80% of training cost per person (but not exceeding 300% of the average monthly salary). In the case of micro-enterprises, reimbursement covers 100% of the training cost (not exceeding 300% of the average monthly salary). Allocation the company applies to the district job centre to receive co-financing for training. The district jobcentre analyses the application form and if the assessment is positive, signs the contract with the company. The funding is transferred from the Labour Fund to the company 30 days after signing the contract (but the contract may define a different date). Companies that best meet pre-determined criteria (specified through top-down procedures) are funded. If an employee quits training, an employer is obliged to return the cost of training of this employee co-financed from the public funds.
- Eligible costs
- Tuition fees and other costs related to education and training (such as cost of exams confirming acquired qualifications; physician and/or psychological test; insurance; analysis of training needs of the employer who is applying for the reimbursement).
- Volumes of funding
- Overall volumes of funding available:2017: PLN 196 594 000 (approx. EUR 46 801 409)2018: PLN 105 098 000 (approx. EUR 24 489 235)2019: PLN 225 860 000 (approx. EUR 52 267 889)Overall volumes of funding actually disbursed:2017: PLN 176 098 800 (approx. EUR 41 922 297)2018: PLN 10 2013 000 (approx. EUR 23 770 389)2019: PLN 199 526 400 (approx. EUR 46 492 311)
- Beneficiaries/take up
- Total number of beneficiary companies:2017: 18 7152018: 14 4322019: 23 197 Total number of beneficiary individuals:2017: 110 3532018: 60 2892019: 108 355
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
- District job centres and Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (since October 2020 Ministry of Economic Development, Labour and Technology)
- Monitoring/evaluation reports available
- Efektywnosc wsparcia udzielonego ze srodków KFS w województwie mazowieckim w 2018 roku http://obserwatorium.mazowsze.pl/pliki/files/Raporty/2019/Efektywnos%CC… http://obserwatorium.mazowsze.pl/pliki/files/Raporty/2019/Raport_KFS.pdf
- Most relevant webpage - in English
- Not available
- Most relevant webpage - local language
- http://psz.praca.gov.pl/-/55453-krajowy-fundusz-szkoleniowy
- Recent changes
2016. Important change in the operation of NTF was related to extending the eligibility criteria since 2016 - for 2014 and 2015 NTF sources might be used for providing training only to employees aged 45+. Starting from 2016 all employees' age groups became eligible, so companies have been able to use the NTF more effectively in terms of their training needs. However, all training activities must be in line with NTF priorities which are set each year by the Ministry and the Labour Market Council. The rationale was to cover all age groups by NTF support
Recent changes in response to COVID-19
No changes
- Sources
- 0&t=1419245585000 Wspieranie przez urzedy pracy rozwoju zasobów ludzkich srodkami Funduszu Pracy, Departament Rynku Pracy, Warszawa 2019 https://psz.praca.gov.pl/-/10656194-broszura-statystyczna-2014-2018-wsp…
- Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
- Krajowy Fundusz Szkoleniowy - KFS, Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Spolecznej, Departament Rynku Pracy, Warszawa 2014
- Portal of the Public Employment Services
- Exemplary application form: https://dabrowagornicza.praca.gov.pl/documents/1160071/4475655/wniosek%…
- Short description
- Short description of the related instruments
- Level of operation
- Name of a part of the country
- Name of the region (for regional instruments)
- Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
- Relevance
- Legal basis
- Objective(s) and target(s)
- Year of implementation
- Year of latest amendment
- Operation/management
- Eligible group(s)
- Group(s) with preferential treatment
- Education and training eligible
- Source of financing and collection mechanism
- Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
- Eligible costs
- Volumes of funding
- Beneficiaries/take up
- Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
- Monitoring/evaluation reports available
- Most relevant webpage - in English
- Most relevant webpage - local language
- Recent changes
- Sources