Opening ceremony of the joint Norwegian-Kazakhstani Employment Center

On 5 February 2010 – Within the visit of the Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway and Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Program to Kazakhstan the opening ceremony of the SYSLAB Employment Centre took place in Astana. The solemn opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Haoliang Xu, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, Mr. Yan Yohanessen, Chief Executive of SYSLAB Int. and a SYSLAB Concept Founder and Ms. A. Altybayeva, Director of the Department on Employment and social programs in Astana, City Administration.

During the ceremony His Excellency visited training rooms of the Center and inquired the participants on the results achieved within the training process. The trainees expressively told him about the programme having stressed that within a week three of them have already found a job. The Crown Prince wished the participants all the best in their future endeavours.

Since 2007 jointly with the SYSLAB International UNDP implements the Project “Promoting Innovation and Employment in Kazakhstan”. The SYSLAB six-monthly program of employment and development of small and medium business includes trainings on effective search of work and business plan development. In partnership with Almaty city administration the Project is realized on the basis of the labor exchange; on the basis of the City Centre of Employment in Astana and through the Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Persons of the South Kazakhstan Oblast in Shymkent.

Opening of the Center in Astana provides unique opportunity for qualified unemployed specialists of the Central Kazakhstan to find adequate job or to start their own business. Through the consultations and trainings for personal qualities ans skills development the Programe allows to identify and use latent capacities of the qualified unemployed, to promote themselves on the labour market.

It is expected that by the end of 2011 the technology, the equipped office and the trained personnel will be transferred to the city authorities.

Alongside the distinguished guest participated in the Kazakhstani- Norwegian business forum, and met with the faculty and students of the Eurasian national university named after L.Gumilyov.