Croatia Project Jobnet Introduction May

Croatia Project Jobnet

Introduction

May 2013 There are 4 284 889 residents in Croatia. . . 333 249 person is recorded on Croatian Employment Service as UNEMPLOYED. . . 59 985 person is younger than 24. . .

Due to this disturbing numbers, members of the research team in Local Democracy Agency Sisak, decided to participate in an international comparative audio-visual project JOBNET related to solving the problem of rising youth unemployment in many European countries.

LDA Sisak operating since 1996 precisely in order of democratization of society in local, to promote active citizenship and human rights, and all this with one very important aspect which is the international cooperation and connectivity.

What inspired us to get involved in the project JOBNET? We noticed that in Croatia there is neither systematic research that asks young people, meaning those in which this problem affects the most, which are the causes why they can not exercise their fundamental human right - the job.

Reasons of youth unemployment In Croatia particular problem is structural unemployment, which means consequences of mismatches between supply and demand with respect to interest and skills of the unemployed and the requirements of employers and the difficulties in trying to change the job regardless of their previous jobs. Risk of unemployment is higher for youth with vocational education. The main reasons of early school leaving (school drop-out) are related to poor initial conditions, poverty and poor educational status of the parents. Young people from lower social status families are forced to acquire a qualification and early enter in Emloyment Service.

Legal backgorund In Croatia, there is a labour law that is dealing with labour relation in details. A worker is an individual employed that perform a particular job, and the employer is an individual or entity that employs the worker for whom the employee performs certain tasks. The first step is to undertake by the employer is to sign a work contract with the worker, listing the scope of work. The contract can be long-term and shortterm. If the contract is not stating its duration, it is considered as long-term.

A person under 15 years of age or a person 15 or older than 15 but younger than 18, attending compulsory primary education, can not be employed. A minor shall not be employed in jobs that may endanger their safety, health, morals or development. During the contract signing a probation work may be agreed but it must not be longer than 6 months. Persons employed for the first time in occupation for which they were educated, employer may employ as apprentice. Training of an apprentice may not last longer than one year, upon the apprentice takes professional exam.

Mearsures for youth unemployment decrement The state financed hiring of young, educated workers need working experience as a precondition for taking the obligatory exam on competencies and to be able to enter working world. Labour officea will finance competence training without employment for those with no master craftsman exam, for architects, planners, lawyers, attorneys, notaries and for One to be entitled to get funding of obligatory professional practice for the period of one year in the amount of 1. 600, 00 HRK and paid social services must be registered in unemployment register for at least six months, but there is an age limit. High school graduates must be younger then 25 years, while collage and university students younger then 29 years.

Questionnare survey

Questionnare survey Ø 3 important cities facing a crisis in central Croatia and their surroundings Population in 2011: Sisak - 33, 049 (with surrounding - 49, 699) Petrinja-15, 480 (with surrounding – 24, 786) Kutina-14, 814 (with surrounding - 22, 815) Ø 4 groups of examinees: students, employed students, employed youths and unemployed youths (16 – 24 years old) Ø Total of 370 respondents

Table 1: Distribution by gender and age of the interviewed AGE/ YEARS MALE FEMALE ALL PERCENT 16 5 5 10 3% 17 4 12 16 4% 18 7 13 20 5% 19 22 25 47 13% 20 26 34 60 16% 21 23 16 39 11% 22 20 30 50 14% 23 16 41 57 15% 24 27 38 65 18% EMPTY 1 5 6 2% ALL 151 (41%) 219 (59%) 370 100%

most of interviewed were 24 years old (18%), and over 80 % of respondents were 19 or older. Only 3% of them were 16 years old There were 219 (59%) females and 151 (41%) males The relative majority of these females were 23 years old, as for the males the most common age of those questioned was 24 years

Distribution by city

Ø The relative majority of interviewed are coming from : Sisak (53%), because it is the biggest and most developed of those three cities. 27% of respondents were from Kutina and 20 % were from Petrinja

Distribution of unemployed by level of education

The relative majority (43%) has got secondary graduation, but the rate of vocational certificate is also high (25%); bachelor degree in higher education (BA or BSc): 17%; only primary education: 5%; more than primary education: 2% ; master degree in higher education (MA or MSc): 6% (Figure 16). It is very concerning that there are 25% of those with vocational education. They should all work in little mills or shops, using their hands and knowledge. It is not a secret that most of them are on black market, using their skills under the price, and avoiding paying taxes. That also costs the state

Distribution by year of unemployment

All in the relative majority of interviewed have become unemployed for 1 or 2, maybe 3 years(Figure 17). Most of them have work experience (58 heads), and lots of them do not have (49 heads), usually that was Fixed term contract (25 heads). From these data It seems that it is not relevant for being unemployed if you have work experience or you do not have.

Distribution by the interviewed opinion according to own reasons of their unemployed status (heads)

28 % thinks that lack of enough jobs is the main reason, and also 28% thinks that the lack of their work experience is the reason, but we saw before that there is almost the same number of those who are unemployed and have work experience and those who do not have this experience. It is maybe possible that those work experiences are short or not in a profession in which they are trying to find a job. 15 % thinks that this crisis is responsible for their situation. 5 % have not known how to get a job and in her/his opinion that is why she/he is unemployed. Based on this we can stated that most of the interviewed know how can find a job.

Students (49%) AGE / YEARS MALE FEMALE ALL EMPTY 0 (0%) 2 (2%) 2 (1%) 16 2 (3%) 3 (3%) 5 (3%) 17 4 (6%) 9 (8%) 13 (7%) 18 3 (4%) 7 (6%) 10 (5%) 19 12 (18%) 16 (14%) 28 (15%) 20 12 (18%) 24 (21%) 36 (20%) 21 12 (18%) 8 (7%) 20 (11%) 22 11 (16%) 14 (12%) 25 (14%) 23 4 (&%) 26 (22%) 29 (16%) 24 8 (12%) 7 (&%) 15 (8%) ALL 68 (100%) 115 (100%) 183 (100%)

They were mostly 20 years old (20%); male students were mostly between 19 and 21 (18% of each), and female were a little bit older (between 19 and 23); and most of them were 23 (22%)

Distribution of students by level of education

Most of students had secondary graduation (67%), so we can conclude that they are at college at this time, taking degree in higher education BA, just as those 5 % with vocational certificate. very few of vocational graduates go further to college. It is like that because it is a little bit complicated for them to apply on college and get points on exams, because of lack of general knowledge. 19% of them are currently taking degree in higher education MA. 7% is in high school (5 % with more than primary, and 2 % only primary) Mostly students are from Sisak (59%), 27% of them are from Kutina, and 14% from Petrinja

Student had to answer some additional questions for students, like since when they are studying and ‘Your formal education can get you a white collar job, but you do not find one. What do you do? ’. We couldn't get good results on first question, because people get it wrong. Some of them wrote when they started primary school, some of them secondary, and some of them college, so it's very hard to know correct year for correct school for each person. These results are unusable.

Distribution of answers no question 'Why didn't you find a white collar job with their previous education?

On question why did not they find a white collar job with their previous education they mostly answered other (N=166). When we analysed that 'other' answers, we saw that most of them left this space empty. They just did not find right answer on this. We have to pay attention on this after in study, while taking interviews Those who gave answers mostly continue studies and do vocational training (N=96). It is very low number of those who volunteering (N=6) and those who would not take a blue-collar job, remain unemployed (N=6) They are showing interest in any kind of work

Distribution of answers for all respondents on Question 'What are the possible reasons for youth unemployment in your country?

Most of respondents chose two answers: Companies and institutions do not employ young people with no experience (N=250) and effects of the economic crisis (N=249). That is quite true in our country. There are no economic resources in country and no one is opening new mills or shops or other drive where young can find a job. And not just young people. Other answers appear much less and they are all equally

What would be the most relevant ‘best practice’ on combating youth unemployment? Most of the respondents thinks that best practice would be making the labour market more 'youth friendly' (N=168). Lots of them also thinks that Cooperation of local business sector and education to train young people for specific job (N=147) and wants more internship programs in local and national authorities. The answer Initiating a regional youth guidance program (N=85) is rarest elected. These responses are expected. Ourselves, we started from the assumption that the cooperation between schools and craftsmen should be better, that to those who are educated should be allowed to use what they learned, and that everyone in state should be more friendly to youth employment.

/ We should say that our government investing effort in solving this problem in last 2 years, and today there are over 10 different modules that should help young to get their first job. Some things can be improved, but it is still great they started co combat with this problem. They consist that is the fact, It is just a question how good are public and youth familiar with those modules

Socials problems here mostly means financial problems. It is a good question to ask why do they sense this lack of motivation. Is it because of bad professional orientation or something else? This should be better investigated and easy solved

5 statements: 1. A career guidance program that involves parents and young people can reduce youth unemployment People mostly agree with this statement (mostly students and unemployed). It is interesting that more employed respondents do not agree with this statement (N=23), than agree (N=18). This may indicate that the unemployed and students hope that this program could be effective. Those who are employed probably see the solution in something else. Men and women have similar views regarding this statement

2. An internship program can leave young people with excellent preparation for the world of work A great number of them are strongly agreed. When we look at the differences in responses by gender, we can see that though more male than female respondents disagreed with the statement. Maybe males have some problem with being internship

3. Highly qualified youth prefer to be lower – paid white – collar worker than to be blue – collar worker for higher wages Most of employed and unemployed agree with this statement, but also that students mostly disagree. Maybe the responses of those who are employed have more sense because maybe some of them can be in that described situation.

4. Young people rather stay unemployed than working for lower wages (which is not appropriate to their qualification) People mostly disagree with the statement This can be interesting from the point of view that youngsters said about themselves that they would not be satisfied being unemployed. And maybe some of employed persons think that they work for lower wages

5. Formal school education system can be the reason for the grown number of unemployment as it does not give pragmatic knowledge. People mostly strongly agree (students especially) and agree with this statement. If you ask if there is enough pragmatic knowledge, almost anyone in Croatia will say no. Some students also disagree. When we look at the distribution of answers by gender, we can notice that in answer disagree there are more males then females

Conclusion To sum up, listed results show that youths are aware of this problem, they think about possible solutions and they continue their education in hope that additional competency will help them.

Interview Job. Net

Interviews with young people and employers from April to June 2013. Case study involved 26 people

PARTICIPANTS five unemployed youth aged 17 -22 five employed young people aged 19 -22 seven experts who have experience in working with young unemployed people five representatives of non-governmental organizations five people in public and private sectors that have an impact on the employment of young people

WE ASKED THEM ABOUT. . . ent oym pl • education • profe ssional u trainin work g for • good practices • no n go orga vermen nisat tal • social issues and ions dropping out of school nem

1. UNEMPLOYED YOUTH SENIOR STUDENT (STILL ATTENDING A SCHOOL) PROFESIONAL TRAINING FOR WORK (COLLEGE EDUCATION) PLUMBER FIVE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE TAILOR NURSE

Answers of unemployed youth about. . . UNEMPLOYMENT lots of retiring people limit up to the age of 65 problem of personal connection the lack of knowledge, money and education are willing to acept a job outside their profession crisis did not help their situation one of the biggest problems of unemployment

ABOUT EDUCATION, „PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR WORK ”, SOCIAL ISSUES AND DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. . . education need more practice too many educated people for the same profession market saturation (PTW)- program with a lot of disadvantages social issues- unemployment leads to the bad habits (spending parents money, doing drugs) youth are dropping out of school not motivated, have financial or family problems

GOOD PRACTICES „Mc. Donalds”, „Mill and bakery” and „Drogerie Markt” good practice for employing young people

EMPLOYED YOUTH 2. different situation. . . financial suport to the family more conections (social networks, friends, coworkers) some of them are talented, other are invested in their education PROBLEMS ON THE LABOUR MARKET employers are exploiting young people low wages difficult work no one runs a new business or production- no new job positions

Employed youth gave their examples of good practice and they send a message. . . Good practices in the region: T-com, Applied Ceramics and Metronet. „Be persistent succeed. ” (Elvis) „ Do not underestimate yourself and do not accept work below cost. ” (Dora) „You are successful if you want to be!” (Tomislav)

EXPERTS 3. School of Economics Sisak CES (Croatian Employment Service) Chamber of Comerce PROFERSSION ALS Chamber of Trade Faculty of Economics

About economic situation, the education system and the labour market. . . the lack of productive investment reduction job destruction enterprises in the fiscal and para-fiscal leives production capacity „Economic Crisis = lack of production = disadvantage employees young and old. ” demand side on the labour market = huge problem leads to the „brain drain”

About social problems, drop out of school and good practices social problems more illnesses and addictions, loss of friends and social contacts, spending time on the computer and in virtual world drop out od school combination of: lack of motivation, learning problems, other social problems, bad teachers, lack of professional guidance and economic opportunities good practices new companies which dealing with new technologies (Sano, Selk , Pharma. S)

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE SECTOR 4. INA Vatrostalna Sisak (Oil industry Inc. ) Applied Ceramics Ltd Institutions Sipas Galdovo Ltd The Ministry of Defence

About unemployment, oportunities for work and good practices reason of unemployment are in young people negative attitudes employers need people with work exerience no need for the young people oportunity of hiring via Student service „BECOME A CADET” project od the Ministry of Defence INA cooperating with a secondary schools competition „For the best mentor of the school” student association e. STUDENT and INA case studies and other competitions

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS 5. The Institute for labour market development (IZTR) Rugby Club Arena Novi svijet Luščani NGO’s e. STUDENT (student association) Croatian Youth Network (MMH)

Unemployment problem and possible solutions by NGO’s youth have a problem during the writing CVs lack of information most of them are inert, avarage and not initiative young people are mostly seasonally employed (during the summer in turism) the big imbalance between the labour market and the educational system youth should invest in non-formal education the rugby club Arena project „Rugby to work” student assotiation cooperation with companies great opportunity

Recommadations and possible solutions

From the questionnare survey • • • best practice would be making the labour market more 'youth friendly‘ Cooperation of local business sector and education to train young people for specific job more internship programs in local and national authorities Initiating a regional youth guidance program a career guidance program that involves parents and young people can reduce youth unemployment

From the interviews 1) Some of the respondents think that the youth should volunteer and gain any experience, they should put an effort in education and be informed about various job opportunities. 2) Some people can see the solution in changing the law on the registration of companies and advertising employers 3) Some of them in the new measures, which allows for easy self -employing 4) Some of them in the opening new opportunities of education and employment, joining the European Union 5) Some of them think that young people should go to the polls and thus begin to participate in decision-making, and engage in political and social life

6) Some thinks that they should to invest in themselves and their competencies, learn languages and acquire new IT skills 7) Some see the solution for the youth in advanced technology, 8) while others see the way out in turning to rural areas and the revival of rural-urban links 9) Some of them advise them to do a perfect resume, their advertising brochures and actively seek for a job and the employment thru non-standard channels 10) Some of them refer them to engage in the work of NGOs and there to seek their first job

3 Best practices Volunteering Become a cadet! Applied ceramics

Company Applied Ceramics Sisakaverage 28 a subsidiary of the American company AC which is located near SF registered 2005 th, 2006 th sent a small group of people to receive training in America and then reported to the share capital of the company that could 2008 th run real production plan and to this day it is improving and developing non-stop to grow into that higher, stronger company production of custom made products made of ceramic, quartz, silicon and sapphire for other industries 40 employees, of which 18 workers under the age of 24 years started 2008. with the young team and primarily employ only young people

This model is positive for young people and anyone who is thinking about investing, should think in this way: to decide for specific jobs or high-tech, then assemble a team of young educated and further educate them for specific jobs, and provide them with the opportunity to start their employment in a completely new modern manufacturing enterprise, in order right from the start grow along with the business and become a loyal and responsible workers

Become a cadet of the Armed Forces! - Work awaits a program 'Cadet‘ for civil-military education through this program, cadets expertise in general subjects adopted at different colleges military training is the Military Academy "Petar Zrinski" through mandatory winter and summer camps access to Basic officer training that prepares them for the assumption of certain military duties Candidates who successfully pass the above selection, have obligation to sign contract about scholarship with the MORH, which they formally became cadets OS RH

Selection - testing the ability of certain candidates during their stay at the camp by conducting basic infantry training Conducted by the 2003 rd - 1 st generation of cadets to the academy 220 completed training and became officers CO RH Experience in education past 10 th generation of cadets confirm the commitment of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces to continue the implementation of this model of civil-military education This model is positive - directed to educate and be sure that they would at the end of education have a job.

Volunteering. volunteer work is unpaid, nonprofit, freely chosen action that occurs in various forms On this meaning was based the definition of volunteerism adopted by the Republic of Croatia (Law on Volunteering NN 58/07) "Volunteering is the purpose of this Act, a voluntary personal investment of time, effort, knowledge and skills to perform services or activities for the benefit of another person or the general public, and shall be held by persons in the manner provided in this Act, without the existence of conditions of payment of monetary compensation or other material benefit for volunteering done, unless this Act provides otherwise. " According to the European manifesto on volunteering - activity that takes free will of the individual and personal choice and motivation, no desire for financial gain; in an organized setting (within NGOs, volunteer centers, more or less organized informal groups) in order to help other people and society as a whole, contributing to common values, no personal interest (although volunteers from the same benefits to the person who volunteers).

Volunteering through active participation in society, with the aim of initiating a proactive change in society, it is a newer form of volunteering in Croatia usually refers to the active participation in political, nonprofit organizations, informal civic initiatives and stakeholders new approaches to organized volunteering Mainly volunteer activities carried out by civil society organizations and institutions of health and social care in this way increase the quantity and quality of their activities and services an opportunity to acquire new competencies and develop new life skills, solves the problem of gaining experience, especially if it is related to the profession

Our conclusion 1) All young people should get good professional orientation in elementary school, to avoid later giving up from school and to start early development of later required competencies for specific jobs 2) Every employer under the law should have developed program to train some number of interns 3) Young people should join by their professions and open production facilities and the state should help them in many ways 4) All kinds of NGOs can and should develop some programs for young and unemployed people which will help them to seek and find job

5) Volunteering is great way to start, so there should be much more companies and NGOs where young people can gain experience 6) Young people after finishing school should stay in contact with their school until they find a job, just to stay in touch with their generation, profession and have place where they belong. 7) Local schools and companies and NGOs should be linked in some way to avoid the over- or under- educated people for certain professions. In perfect situation young would be trained to pre-determined positions.

Thank you very much! Reaserach team of LDA Sisak