The Regional Director for Labour, Vocational Training and Consumer Defence reiterated on Monday the Government’s commitment in professional qualification.
Rui Bettencourt spoke at the opening ceremony of the 19th Regional Skills Competition in Ponta Delgada, stating “when times are difficult, there is something which is a safe assurance to be taken into account: the professionalism of each of us.”
The Regional Director also stressed that “it is not by chance that there was a significant increase in the productivity of Azorean workers. The more than 15,000 professionals trained in vocational training schools, have reinforced the operation of Azorean companies over the last decade and have contributed to a significant rise in production since 2001.
On the occasion, Rui Bettencourt said that “the Azores have increasingly established their credibility” in the context of their professional qualification strategies, stressing the organisation of two new competitions which were suggested by the Region, such hotel reception and hygiene and safety management for the European Skills Competition – Euroskills, an event to take place at the Parque das Nações in Lisbon from December 8 to 11.
For the Regional Director, professional qualification will enhance the employability of Azorean population, providing companies with more quality at the level of human resources.
The 19th Regional Skills Competition takes place at four Azorean vocational training schools from São Miguel until October 29, counting upon the participation of 89 participants, 48 judges in 16 skills.
The winners of the competition will represent the Azores in the national competition that will be held in the Azores for the first time from May 2 to 6, 2011. Over 600 people in 40 different skills are expected to participate in this event.
The regional competitions were organised by the Regional Directorate for Labour, Vocational Training and Consumer Defence with the purpose of promoting exchanges of work experiences, methods and techniques between participants, judges, teachers, workshop managers and observers as well as a healthy confrontation of knowledge and professional practical skills.
Meanwhile, the Azores will be represented in the European Skills Competition in Lisbon next December in the following skills: carpentry; hotel reception; network management and safety management, and electricity.