The Government of the Azores intends to extend the Basic Skills Course, targeted to low-skilled unemployed, to all Azorean islands.

The announcement was made today by the Regional Secretary for Labour and Social Solidarity in Ponta Delgada at the end of one of the three visits to the Basic Skills courses, taught by Valorizar Network.

The initiative covers 220 people and aims to provide the unemployed with better skills and qualifications, thus contributing to their employability.

Currently, there are 10 groups on San Miguel and it is expected the creation of another six groups in Ribeira Grande, four in Lagoa and one on the island of Santa Maria, revealed Ana Paula Marques.

The Azorean Government will extend Basic Skills Course to Social Integration Income beneficiaries, who are integrated in the FIOS project (social integration and occupation programme).

According to the government official, this is an "innovative project" that brings "many benefits" to people because "the greater level of skill and training of our unemployed, the better employment conditions they will have."

Given the economic context, Ana Paula Marques said that the Government of the Azores had two solutions: "stand still and do absolutely nothing or to take action. And the have opted for the latter: we have taken action."

"We are taking action among our unemployed, whom we follow on a daily basis," the Regional Secretary stressed, adding that the Azorean Government has "active employment policies," which allowed us to check that more than 700 people enrolled at the agencies for training and employment lacked basic skills.

"We are taking action among these people. We know our unemployed and we are monitoring them. We promote their training so that they may have better qualifications," Ana Paula Marques stressed, adding that the vast majority of people who completed Estagiar L and T programmes a few months ago is currently employed. For the government official, this situation evidences the importance of skills and qualifications.

"We are working with people, promoting the acquisition of skills so that they may get a better in a future or even a more qualified job," explained the Regional Secretary.

Furthermore, the Basic Skills Course handbook was presented today and is available at the Internet site of Valorizar Network at: http://www.redevalorizar.azores.gov.pt.

The handbook, which aims to be a working tool, was developed by one of the teachers currently teaching the Basic Skills Course at Valorizar Network.