Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, Marko Čadež, deputy president of Delhaize Serbia Sanja Jevđenijević and deputy Ambassador of Austria Sabine Kroissenbrunner have handed the contracts to the pupils of two departments of Secondary Trade School in Belgrade who are starting with the three-year programme of dual education realised in Maxi supermarkets.

Deputy Prime Minister Ljajić has said in the Maxi Alonso supermarket that today’s event is the best response to all private operators of dual education in Serbia.

“This practical example can illustrate all the benefits of this education system introduced in Serbia. This is the best connection of the economy and education”, Mr Ljajić has stated.

As he has said, this is a successful model of cooperation of different sectors, academic community, the government and the economy for the benefit of the young making them find a job easily.

“The trade sector gives incentives to this process and this is the biggest number of pupils for whom a single company is concluding contracts with a school. The average is usually 5 to 15 contracts with a company, and here we have 55 contracts of pupils with a single company”, Mr Ljajić has stated.

He has pointed out that the trade sector is developing faster than other forms of economy, with the average of eight per cent, that it has got 14 per cent of the total employees, and that it contributes to Serbian GDB with 10 per cent, adding that this is also the average in the EU Member States.

“In the present times it is easier to produce some goods than sell it. Modernisation in this sector is a must, while the precondition is also professional and qualified workforce, since 70 per cent of the decisions on buying specific goods are made in the very shop”, Mr Ljajić has said.

He has thanked to the Delhaize Serbia for giving a contribution to the dual education, pointing out that the company which employs 11.500 people is also one of the biggest investors in Serbian economy.

President of the CCS Mr Čadež has said that pupils, after completing the education in Delhaize Serbia will have more knowledge and will be able to decide if they will work in a company or establish their own store.
He has reminded that last year the CCS, together with Austria, signed a protocol on cooperation on that project which is now giving concrete results.

The project of developing dual education Delhaize Serbia is realised with the support by the CCS and Austrian Chamber of Commerce, “Advantage Austria”, and of Austrian Development Agency (ADA), in line with the curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia.

Deputy Ambassador of Austria Ms Kroissenbrunner has said that Austria and other EU countries emphasise a great significance of education of the young and that she is pleased that Serbia is involved in dual education. She has said that this is precisely what Serbia doesn’t have and does not use the potentials of the young people in a full extent.

“Youth unemployment is an obstacle for a bigger economic development of the country”, Ms Kroissenbrunner has said, adding that Austria will keep supporting Serbia in the introduction of dual education.

Deputy President of the Delhaize Serbia Ms Jevđenijević has stressed that the strength of a company is its successful staff, and that the commitment of the company is to continuously invest in young staff and their professional development.

The pupils are given the best mentors in the field of trade in consumables, and a monthly compensation in the amount of 5.000 RSD during their education.