The Romanian industry needs well-prepared talents, and the Youth Pact creates the necessary link between school and the labor market, maintain representatives of the National Confederation of Women's Entrepreneurship (CONAF) in a press release.
"The third edition of the program Youth Pact - A real career: from vocation to profession raises the bar: vocational tests, individual counseling, experiential workshops and direct interaction with specialists from various industries offer young people a real perspective on their professional opportunities. When a pupil from a small village has the opportunity to talk to an expert in renewable energy, an automation technician or a mechanical engineer, he or she better understands the jobs of the future and discovers his or her own path. Romanian industry needs well-trained talent, and the Youth Pact creates the necessary link between school and the labor market. Secondary school students - grades VII and VIII, from Gorj, Dolj and Mehedinti counties will be able to follow a clear path towards vocational education. The aim is to prevent school dropout through early vocational guidance, providing students with access to educational resources adapted to the labor market," the CONAF representatives specify.
According to the cited source, a fundamental objective is to increase the number of graduates from vocational schools, in a context in which Romania has a significant shortage of specialists in technical and industrial fields.
"This approach facilitates the access of rural and small urban students to vocational education and actively contributes to reducing the long-term unemployment rate, providing the labor market with a qualified and well-prepared workforce," the press release adds.
The Youth Pact is an example of an effective intervention in the field of education, with a long-term impact on the national economy. By involving the private sector, the project succeeds in facilitating a convergence between quality education and the real demands of the labor market, the cited source mentions.
"The success of this approach can serve as a model for broader public policies aimed at reducing educational disparities and making school dropout a manageable problem. With a clear vision and strong partnerships, vocational education can become a determining factor in Romania's sustainable economic development. In addition, linking education policies to the requirements of the labor market will bring about a significant structural change, reducing the gaps between the skills of graduates and the needs of employers," CONAF representatives claim.
Romania is faced with an economic paradox: on the one hand, the shortage of skilled labor is growing, affecting key sectors of the economy, and on the other hand, school dropout remains a persistent phenomenon, especially in rural and small urban areas, the cited source further shows.
The Youth Pact program, now in its third edition, proposes a pragmatic solution: vocational education as a mechanism to combat school dropout and prepare a generation adapted to the demands of the job market.
Recent statistics show that, in the last four years, over 100,000 high school dropouts, equivalent to the population of a city the size of Suceava.
This trend exacerbates the problem of low-skilled labor and puts pressure on the social protection system. Without a strategic intervention, Romania risks aggravating the discrepancies between supply and demand on the labor market, thus limiting economic growth," the document also mentions.
At the same time, the low level of education directly influences Romania's potential GDP and its ability to attract foreign investment in industries that require skilled labor.
"In the first two editions, this initiative has demonstrated the positive impact of a systematic approach. When young people and teachers have a framework for genuine dialogue, the result is significant. 4,000 participants (teachers, pupils, parents and decision-makers) in 12 county public debates, 1,720 pupils and teachers involved in 88 situational workshops, helping to identify the causes of school dropout and to formulate practical solutions for reintegrating pupils - these are turning points in a system that would otherwise continue to lose entire generations in the vortex of school dropout. All this effort of observation, knowledge and analysis of the phenomenon has materialized in a report that proposed a set of concrete solutions for 34 different risk factors for school dropout," says CONAF.
According to the cited source, this report has been submitted for debate in order to identify legislative solutions within an inter-ministerial committee for combating and preventing school dropout, made up of representatives of key institutions directly involved in this issue, set up as a result of the Youth Pact.
"Another concrete result of the Youth Pact is the launch of a dedicated website, which centralizes key information on early school leaving, legislative solutions and resources for young people, parents and teachers. At the same time, an impact measure that has taken shape is the introduction of hot meals in some schools, a real support for vulnerable pupils, designed to encourage them to stay in the education system and reduce the risk of dropping out," the press release further specifies.
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