INTRODUCTION
In compliance with the Exit Strategy from the (ESSN) Programme developed by the Presidency FRIT Office and the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services, the “Facility for Refugees in Türkiye” which is financed by the European Union aims to ensure that Syrians under temporary protection (SuTP) (hereinafter Syrians) benefiting from Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) are no longer in need of this support. The VET4JOB Programme (Improving the Employment Prospects for the Syrian Refugees Under Temporary Protection and Host Communities by High-Quality VET and Apprenticeship in Türkiye) financed under FRIT was launched following the agreement signed between the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye and Expertise France (EF) on the 1st of January 2020. The duration of the programme is 4 years, and it is being implemented by EF and its implementing partner EDUSER. The beneficiaries of the programme are the Ministry of National Education Directorate General of Vocational Education and Training and the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen. The Programme targets to enrol 14,440 new apprentices, 60% of whom are Syrians, in 36 vocational training institutions (MEM/MTAL) selected from 12 provinces[1].
Apprentice students attend vocational training institutions one day a week to receive their theoretical training while they get their practical training in workplaces in the remaining 4 days of the week. In other words, 80% of their training time is spent in the workplaces. Considering the significant share of practical training in apprentice training, the importance of improving the training environments of craftsmen and tradesmen businesses where apprentice students receive practical training becomes obvious.
WHERE TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT
Information about workplace improvement support can be obtained from the following channels:
- Websites of TESK and its affiliated unions and chambers
- MoNE website,
- VET4JOB website (www.imep.org)
- EF and EDUSER websites
- VTCs and VTAHs under VET4JOB
- Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen in provinces within the scope of VET4JOB
- VET4JOB Provincial Coordinators
OBJECTIVES OF WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT AND AREAS THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUPPORT
Examples of areas where workplace improvement can be made to benefit from the support are shown in the table below.
Improvement of occupational health and safety measures (including necessary tests and inspections) |
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Improvement of the working environment to make it suitable for practical training |
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Making the workplace ready for theoretical training |
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Creating environments where Turkish and Syrian apprentice students can spend time together |
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NUMBER OF STUDENTS REQUIRED TO BE HOSTED BY THE BUSINESS /UPPER SUPPORT LIMITS
a) In the duration of the support programme, a workplace can receive in-kind support for a maximum of 2 times, and the cumulative corresponding value of these 2 in-kind supports cannot exceed 5000 EUR (or its equivalent in TRY, based on the InfoEuro[2] exchange rate of the month of application).
b) For the business to benefit from the support for the first time, it must certify that at least 1 Syrian apprentice student who is enrolled in one of the VET4JOB schools and who has been actively pursuing apprentice training for 3 or more months as of the date of application for support is studying there. If this condition is fulfilled, the following corresponding values of in-kind support can be provided for the business by observing an equal share between the number of Syrian and Turkish students.
- Up to 1200 EUR inaugural support divided as follows: up to 600 EUR for one Syrian (the first one who is the precondition for being supported) and up to 600 EUR for one Turkish student (if exists)who has been actively pursuing apprenticeship training for 3 or more months as of the date of application for support
- Successive support values: up to 370 EUR for each Syrian students[3] and up to 370 EUR for a corresponding Turkish student[4].
- The number of Turkish students cannot exceed the number of Syrian students the business is supported for.
c) If the total value of support obtained in the first application is below 5000 EUR, the business is entitled to make a second application to benefit from the support provided that
- the number of total apprentice students as of the date of second application is greater than the total number of apprentice students related to the first application.
- there is at least one new Syrian student who is enrolled in one of the VET4JOB schools and who has been actively pursuing apprentice training for 3 or more months as of the date of the second application.
If above conditions are met, the business is entitled to get in-kind support up to 370 EUR for each Syrian student and up to 370 EUR for a corresponding Turkish student[5], within a total limit of 5000 EUR for the cumulated support.
- The apprentice students identified for the second application must be different from the students in the first application.
- Number of Turkish students proposed for support cannot exceed the number of Syrian students proposed for support.
d) EF reserves the right to provide a total support inferior to the maximum eligible amount, depending on the value of the requested goods and services
e) EF reserves the right to provide the goods and services through suppliers different from the ones selected at eligibility check stage, for reasons of purchase optimization and internal purchasing rules;
f) Workplaces cannot receive support from other institutions/organisations for the very same goods and services.
g) Although the upper support limits are designated in EUR, in the support application form, the value of required goods, work and services will be denominated in TRY by the workplace. For the calculation of the TRY equivalent of EUR, exchange rates of InforEuro[6] for the month in which application is submitted will be used.
TYPES OF IN-KIND SUPPORT
Provided that they are related to the improvement areas specified in the table above, the costs stated below are covered by the support.
- Purchase of goods (Equipment, training materials, software, etc.)
- Small scale construction-repair works
- Small service purchases (IT infrastructure, etc.)
After being requested by the workplace and passing the evaluation process, the necessary purchase is made by EF and goods and services in question are delivered to the workplace as in-kind support.
[1] Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Gaziantep, Hatay, İstanbul, İzmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Mersin
[3] who is enrolled in one of the VET4JOB schools and who has been actively pursuing apprentice training for 3 or more months as of the date of application for support
[4] who is enrolled in one of the VET4JOB schools and who has been actively pursuing apprentice training for 3 or more months as of the date of application for support
[5] who is enrolled in one of the VET4JOB schools and who has been actively pursuing apprentice training for 3 or more months as of the date of application for support
[6] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/procedures-guidelines-tenders/information-contractors-and beneficiaries/exchange-rate-inforeuro_en