On 17 April 2018, the first apprenticeship partnership meeting was organised on 17 April 2018 at the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts. The Apprenticeship Partnership was formed by signing of Memorandum of Understanding in January 2018. The Memorandum was signed between key stakeholders, the Ministry of Science and Education, Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Ministry of Labour and Pension System, Ministry of Tourism, Agency for Vocational Education and Adult Education, Croatian Chamber of Economy and Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts. Representatives of key stakeholders participated at the first apprenticeship partnership meeting, as well as representatives of other stakeholders (organisations, vocational schools, SMEs).
The welcoming speech was held by Ms Mirela Lekić, Head of Department for Education and Human Resources Development, and after that the EP4A project activities were presented to participants. Topics of the meeting included activities from 4 areas: non-financial and financial support, legal framework, promotion and quality assurance.
During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to present activities from given areas which were conducted by their organisations and which were related to apprenticeship system in Croatia. Ms Ana Puh, the higher advisor in Department for matching education and labour market, presented the activities of Ministry of Labour and Pension System, while Ms Irena Ištvanić, the Head of Department for green and creative industries at the Agency for Vocational Education and Adult Education, presented workshops titled “Enhancement possibilities of educational process in work-based learning for craft professions”, which were organised in December 2017. Also, Ms Lana Lukačić, the Head of Centre for Career Informing and Counselling, presented activities of Croatian Employment Service. Ms Danijela Žagar, the Head of Department for Vocational Education, Clusters and Cooperatives at the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, presented changes in the area of legal framework and financial supports that ministry offers. From the employers’ side, Ms Dubravka Korzo from metallurgy craft “Korzo” presented the promotion she conducts as the employer to make craft occupations more attractive.
At the end of meeting, all participants agreed on subjects for the next meeting, which was agreed to be organised in October 2018. Also, participants agreed that apprenticeship partnership meetings should be organised in 6 months intervals.
