On Wednesday, 26 August, and Tuesday 1 September, 50 young people will receive certificates for successful completion of Summer Internship program in companies in south Serbia and in the Sandzak region. This project is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Economic Security program in cooperation with the Presevo and Bujanovac Development Agency (PBDA) and the Sandzak Economic Development Agency (SEDA).
Mr. Michael Pillsbury, Economic Security Program director, and representatives of the two agencies will present the certificates at two separate ceremonies, one in Presevo and the other in Novi Pazar.
The aim of this unique program, implemented for the first time in the regions, is to provide participating youth with practical, hands-on work experience to help make them more competitive in the job market upon graduation. A total of 38 private companies in the sector of apparel, construction, food processing, banking, medical health care, media and civil society from Bujanovac, Presevo and Novi Pazar opened their doors to youth; and offered them a chance to learn and test their knowledge and interests in the working environment. Representatives of local private sector and National Employment Bureau, as well as city/municipal officials, will also attend the ceremonies.
Over 200 young people applied for the program, and after the orientation training, 30 from Novi Pazar and 20 from Bujanovac and Presevo. The four-week summer program was a success and the participants highly “recommend the summer internship program for everyone”. “In only short amount of time we managed to learn many things. We witnessed the entire production process for making jeans,” said Seida Djerlek and Melisa Gusinac who did their internship at Big Boys Fashion Jeans in Novi Pazar.
Many students in Serbia lack access to practical educational opportunities. USAID’s Economic Security program seeks to address this by equipping Serbian youth with the specialized skills required by employers, through support to the Junior Achievement program, entrepreneurship training programs for youth, as well as summer internship programs. These activities are in line with the objectives of the National Youth Strategy to create employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people in Serbia.
Journalists interested in attending the event are kindly invited to be at Multi Media Center, in Novi Pazar, on Wednesday, 26 August, at 1 p.m., and City Assembly building, in Presevo, on Tuesday, 1 September, at 1 p.m.