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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-5573
Representatives of two non-governmental employment and training
foundations in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzevovina, along with officials
from that country's Employment Institute, have just completed a two-week study
tour to learn how America's employment security system provides
customer-oriented counseling, training, and placement assistance for the
jobless.
The trip is part of a technical assistance program funded by The World
Bank and the United States Agency For International Development and carried out
by staff from the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training
Service (VETS) and Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). The project,
in support of the Dayton Peace Accords, is designed to help the Government of
Bosnia and Herzegovina reintegrate thousands of demobilized soldiers into the
civilian labor force.
"Job development and transitioning veterans into the peace time economy
are keys to restoring the civilian labor force of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said
Espiridion "Al" Borrego, acting assistant secretary of labor for veterans
employment and training. "While these countries have a lot of work ahead of
them, the study tours are a step forward in working together."
The seven-member delegation met with representatives of the Georgia
Department of Labor in Atlanta and service providers at the DeKalb Employment
Service Office. They discussed how to design and manage local employment
service offices, emphasizing client service and job development practices. The
delegation also visited a television job fair hosted by Georgia Public
Television.
In Florida, the delegation met in Orlando with representatives of the
Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security and the Work Force
Development Board, the area's Private Industry Council (PIC). PIC staff
described how to solicit and award contracts, monitor vendor practices to
assure quality services, and develop networks and partnerships with local
business and community organizations. The employment office staff showed the
delegation how to organize a job database, assess and process clients for
services, and conduct job development interviews.
The delegation also met with veterans employment specialists to discuss
assessment, training, and job search techniques for veterans. The concept of
veterans serving other veterans was particularly appealing to the study team.
They were also interested in services for post traumatic stress disorder.
"Trauma counseling is a high priority for us. We badly need trained counselors
and to create a service delivery network," said Zdravko Miovcic, deputy
director of the employment and training foundation for the Republika Srpska
Entity.
The group also visited a Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA)
vocational rehabilitation center to observe how the VA's rehabilitation
services, combined with Labor Department retraining, job placement, and
marketing services, helps veterans with disabilities quickly move into
productive jobs.
The study tour concluded with meetings in Washington, D.C. with U.S.
Labor Department officials and an overview of the federal statistical system
and employment programs. Staff from the U.S. Census Bureau demonstrated data
collection and processing.
Teams of Labor Department advisors have been in Bosnia and Herzegovina
since September 1996. They helped set up the two foundations that will provide
World Bank funds and assistance to local organizations providing employment
counseling, training, and placement services throughout the country. Through an
Agency for International Development grant, the teams are also supporting
efforts to reconstruct the country's labor market information system.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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