Improving labour market through good practice examples from Switzerland

Representatives of the Labour and Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in a study visit to the Swiss Confederation, organized from 25 to 31 March 2012 in framework of the Youth Employment Project (YEP). 

Representatives of the Labour and Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina took part in a study visit to the Swiss Confederation, organized from 25 to 31 March 2012 in framework of the Youth Employment Project (YEP).  Besides representatives of the Labour and Employment Agency of BiH, YEP team and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, 

the participants in the study visit were also representatives of entity ministries of employment, cantonal employment services and regional offices, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and representatives of the RS Ministry of Labour and Protection of War Veterans.

Issues covered during the study visit were the function and role of cantonal services and logistical centres for labour market measures.  Participants learned about good practice examples related to management, financing and guiding of supply and demand of labour market measures.  During their visit to firms for commercial training in Düdingen they were also introduced to implementation of one of the active labour market measures   The Swiss labour market system was among the topics discussed in the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the leading labour market institution in Switzerland.  Participants also had the opportunity of visiting two employment centres in Emmenbrücke.  Some of the topics of discussion in the regional youth employment centre were the working practice, performance guidance and performance quality assurance.  In the second regional employment centre participants discussed, besides employment issues, the possibility of establishing cooperation between labour market institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland.   During the visit to the centre for assessment of labour market competencies in Bern, participants were presented with training workshops and counselling courses.  In the Regional Employment Centre and Logistical Centre for Labour Market Measures in Olten they learned more about opportunities for youth to gain work experience and youth training.  In the head office of the Association of Swiss Employment Services (VSAA) in Bern, the representatives of labour market institutions from Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed with their Swiss counterparts the competencies of the Association which represents all cantonal offices of labour and economy in Switzerland.   The participants also had the opportunity of learning about the work of the Association for Active Labour Market Measures in Lucerne.   

The study visit enabled participants to get an insight into the Swiss labour market system and good practice which should be used in initiative of positive changes in public employment sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  According to the above, the priority of the Labour and Employment Agency of BiH should be to establish an Information Centre for BiH citizens who are leaving the country in order to take employment abroad which would provide them with all relevant information.  During the study visit the Agency’s representatives took the opportunity to explore the possibility of signing an agreement with Switzerland regarding holiday jobs for BiH students in Switzerland and other issues from the Agency’s scope of action.