An Important Milestone Of A Project That Is Deemed To Success

The training course for Hungarian trainers on the adoption of Norwegian methods has finished, and the so-called Norwegian Project titled ’Training Program for the Reintegration of Military Personnel into the Labour Market’ has arrived to another important milestone. Forty persons have successfully completed the course titled ’Training of Trainers’ and received their certificates on December 11 in Hotel Hadik.

– We can say that one phase of the project has ended with success, in line with our plans. The new skills and knowledge certified by the diplomas authorize our graduates to lead training courses in the regions and pass on their knowledge, which will improve the efficiency of our work done in our target groups, and give those looking for work a better chance for employment – said retired Colonel László Sásik, the project manager in his opening speech at the graduation ceremony where Siri Ellen Sletner, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway accredited to Budapest was also present.

On behalf of the leaders of the Ministry of Defence, Major General (eng.) Dr. László Lakatos, the Head of the Planning and Coordination Department of the MoD greeted the participants. Maj.Gen. Lakatos said the Sociopolitical Public Foundation of the Hungarian Defence Forces and the Foundation of Military Personnel for Legality and Legal Certainty – by winning a very significant amount in a Norwegian tender – have undertaken a task that is unique in the history of the defence forces.

– In recent years the transformations and redundancies in the military force have led to a very difficult situation for a considerable number of personnel who had no choice but to leave the military force. Unfortunately, many of them had subsistence problems – said Maj.Gen. Lakatos, who told the attendees that this event is an important milestone of the program that has been launched at the Central Training Base in Szentendre.

The head of the department added: the Ministry of Defence, as a responsible and sensible employer, is interested in the successful social and labour market integration of those leaving the military force, since these factors are also important when it comes to the judgement of the role of the defence forces in society.

László Lakatos emphasized: servicemen who are relatively young today, and troops whose contract has terminated, will enter the civilian labour market sooner or later. And the capabilities and skills acquired at the military are valuable assets in the labour market. This is why reconversion is important, and those women and men who have just received their diplomas had the opportunity to gain international experiences, to learn new methods, and a new approach.

– Today human resource development is the most profitable investment: it is an investment in the future, strengthening the social and financial security of the individual. This is why we support training courses that serve the interest of the military force and the individual alike, ensure employment, and provide an opportunity for re-employment, as well as trainings aiming at improving the chances of former soldiers in the labour market – said Maj.Gen. Lakatos.

Rear Admiral Louise Katherine Dedichen, the Director of the Norwegian Defence University College and head of the Norwegian branch of the consortium that manages the project said: Norway has been supporting similar project for years, not only in Hungary but also in a number of countries in Southeast Europe. In the last few weeks their mission in Hungary was to train those trainers who will help this work in the future.

– Your task is to prepare four thousand soldiers for finding employment in the civilian labour market. In order to do so, the approach of the troops has to be changed, and it is your task to help them – the Norwegian rear admiral told the graduates of the ’trainers’ training’, adding: although the project has reached a milestone, the real work just begins. But it is evident – stressed the director of the Norwegian Defence University College – that the project is deemed to success.

After the awarding of the certificates Maj.Gen. László Lakos told the press that the Hungarian Defence Forces try to support their former personnel until they can find employment in the civilian labour market. And in the past thirty years there has not been a project like this. Rear Admiral Louise Katherine Dedichen added: there is a need for reintegration into the labour market in every country. Norwegians, however, are very experienced in this field. One of the reasons why this project is successful in Hungary is that Hungarian troops are highly skilled and disciplined.

In response to the question of honvedelem.hu, Col. László Sásik said the Norwegian Project is successful not only as regards the training of the trainers. During the last six months they have managed to open ten regional offices, where those who are interested can find every information about the training courses. Moreover, two hundred students have already enrolled and their training is in progress. Some of them attend employment retaining courses, but the majority of them have a contract with the Hungarian Defence Forces that will expire soon, and they would like to find employment in the civilian sector. In January, another 250 students can enroll various courses.

There is a former soldier – László Sásik added – who has already completed the course and graduated from the Kaposvár College as a master farmer, and today works as an entrepreneur.