Promotion of green jobs and green skills by Operational Programme "Human Resources Development" 2014-2020 and the state budget

In order to be supported skills provision, jobs creation and transitions for the greening of the economy, the Operational Programme "Human Resources Development " 2014-2020 (co-funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds and the state budget) invests in the human resources of those enterprises, which contribute to the sustainable environmental development and reduce the negative impacts on the environment. More specifically, support is envisaged for: • practices aimed at adapting the knowledge and skills of the employed persons to the real needs of the labour market and enterprises, including to the introduction of new green and resource efficient technologies; • practices which introduce innovative, more productive and more green work organisation models in the enterprises, including practices which ensure health and safety at work and which improve the professional and health status of the workers and employees and the social climate. The Programme is aimed at the improvement of existing skills of employed people at enterprises in line with the new trends in environmental protection, and will led assistance to adapting new jobs in response to rapid changes and the requirements on the labour market. To meet the business's new needs for qualified workforce, predefined by operations in green sectors such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste treatment, water treatment, etc., the Programme finances relevant training events. Support is provided by the Programme for the creation of green jobs and for acquisition of new skills for them in line with the new developments in the field of sustainable development. The provision of internships and apprenticeships in green enterprises to unemployed youth is also encouraged. Incentives for employers to introduce innovative, more productive and greener models for work arrangements in enterprises, including for ensuring health and safety at work and for improving the social climate in enterprises is provided by the Programme. The activities envisaged under the Programme contribute to the efforts to preserve and protect the areas of Natura 2000 by support for the population and the employers on the territory of these areas. Apart of the Operational Programme, there is also in place other national green jobs initiative. Financial support is provided pursuant to the Law for Promotion of Employment for opening green jobs, which in accordance with the definition in the Law are: "jobs created in the economic activities, associated with production of goods and provision of services supporting environmental protection". This is incentive measure, which is applied to boost employment, provides for each opened green job a state subsidy to be allocated for the employer. The subsidy is granted to the employer which hire an unemployed person with registration, maintained at least 6 months, for the time, during which the person has been employed, but for no more than 12 months. A list of economic activities that support the creation of green jobs is approved. When applying for them, employers are required to submit a registration document (certificate) on schemes and systems for environmental management (ISO 14001, EMAS, etc.).