ESF project No 7.1.1.0/15/I/001 "Support for Education of the Unemployed"
REACT-EU grant for reducing effects of crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic
Published: 06.12.2022.
The State Employment Agency (SEA) offers the unemployed, jobseekers and employees who need to improve their professional skills and competences the opportunity to acquire knowledge required by the labour market or to improve existing knowledge by studying on open online course platforms.
The measure is implemented by the State Employment Agency in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare and the Ministry of Economics.
The aim of the support programmes for learning on open online course platforms:
- to improve the skills of the unemployed, jobseekers and the employed in line with labour market demand through open online courses;
- to help the unemployed return to the labour market more quickly in the post-crisis period, and to help companies up-skill workers for better paid and more productive jobs.
What is offered to the unemployed, jobseekers and employees:
- Up to 6 courses on open online course platforms;
- Up to a total of €500 for 6 courses;
- Eligibility for 50% pre-financing from the SEA;
- Unemployed students will receive a stipend of €5 per training day.
Training costs will be reimbursed within 15 days of receipt of proof of completion of the course and proof of payment, while the arrangements for advance payment will be laid down in the training contract.
Unemployed persons and jobseekers attend the education programme for 4 hours, while those at risk of unemployment attend for 2 hours, five days a week.
Areas of learning:
- Business
- Computer science
- Data science
- Information Technology
- Language Learning
- Management
Learning pathways to support transdisciplinary skills:
- communication and collaboration in the work environment (e.g. emotional intelligence; effective conflict resolution; supportive teamwork; public speaking; networking)
- learning skills and methods (e.g. self-directed learning; application of acquired knowledge; peer learning)
- self-organisation and time management (e.g. effective use of personal resources for a productive working day; stress resilience)
- creativity and innovation in a professional environment (e.g. design thinking, creativity in a business environment)
Taking into account previous education, experience and preferences, as well as assessing the applicant's digital and foreign language skills, a tailor-made learning offer or "learning portfolio" will be prepared with the participation of career counsellors from the SEA.
Training may consist of one or more subject areas.
For example, digital skills training can be complemented by skills such as business communication (transdisciplinary skills) and innovation project management and digital transformation in enterprises (management skills).
Open online course platforms and programmes can be selected independently or from a list of open online platforms and programmes (in Latvian):
Open online courses are available on learning platforms such as Coursera, EdX, Futurelearn, MiriadaX and others.
The SEA supports training on open online course platforms where at least two higher education institutions offer the curriculum in an official language of a European Union (EU) Member State and at least ten higher education institutions represented on the platform are included in the Times Higher Education global university rankings ( https://www.timeshighereducation.com ). If fewer than ten higher education institutions offer programmes on the Open Online Courses platform, they must all be listed in the Times Higher Education World university rankings.
How to apply?
You can apply for the training online by filling in the application form (in Latvian, for unemployed and job seekers, for employed persons):