Work and training program. Forge Foundation - Uruguay
Facilitate a good entry into working life to young people, through an innovative training and employment system.
Young people from low-income families, who are studying the last years of secondary school.
It links secondary education and the world of work by promoting, through integrated actions the decent work culture.
It is complementary to the formal education and encourages to complete basic education, it is required to continue high school in order to stay within the program.
It highlights the humanistic content of training, stimulating a changing process in participants, incorporating values and concepts essential for work and life.
The program lasts two years, the first refers to training and the second to job placement and mentoring.
At the beginning, young people can choose from different technical options. The offer is dynamic in time, accompanying the changes in the labor market. Selected specialties are in high demand and are intended to fill jobs for which high school studies, by themselves, are not sufficient to meet market requirements. Currently the following courses are offered:
- Sales and customer service.
- Logistics Assistant.
- Programming (Java).
- introduction to the hotel and room care.
- administrative assistant.
Training consists of three blocks:
- Training for personal development: personal knowledge, identity, growth and job, self-esteem, oral and written communication, living and citizenship.
- Training for work: training technical tools for each specialty, knowledge of the world of work, selection processes and job placement.
- Basic skills training: communication tools, attitude and presence, negotiation and conflict resolution, teamwork, PC management, project management, solidarity, administration of time and money.
During the second year, participants are introduced, for their employment, to a network of companies selected by the Foundation. Furthermore, by tutoring systems they are assisted to solve workplace situations and sustain employment over time.
After the program is finished, the relationship of young people with the Foundation is maintained through the Forge Alumni Club, which offers a space for consultation and assistance work and scholarships for higher education, teacher education and job placement.
- Provides comprehensive training: it consists of a humanistic and technical aspect, combining personal and vocational training.
- Adequate training to the labor market: offers training in specialties in high demand by the labor market.
- Integration into companies: it provides access to companies, good jobs with career projection.
- It encourages completing secondary education and pursuing tertiary studies.
- The contents and methodologies of teaching practices incorporate practices of college and vocational training level.
- 91% of young people able to apply for jobs, entered the labour market.
- 40% of beneficiaries continue college studies.
- The program uses a replicable methodology. It is being implemented in three countries and is operating in eight different venues.
- 4.200 young people trained since 2007.
- 85 % of participants stay in the program.
