Programme description
Romania’s national ESF+ programme for education and employment invests in the development of the country’s human capital. It supports improved access to quality education and training in every stage of life, and an inclusive labour market. The aim is to ensure that no one is left behind in an era of rapid economic and social change, empowering people across the country with the skills needed for the digital and green transitions.
The programme will implement the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights by promoting equal opportunities and access to jobs, fair working conditions, social protection and inclusion. It will also support Romania’s commitment to achieve its 2030 social targets of increasing the employment rate to nearly 75% and the number of adults in training every year to over 17%, while reducing the number of people at risk of poverty by over 2.5 million.
Modernising labour-market institutions and strengthening social dialogue
Public employment services (PES) will be supported to hire more staff and expand training resources. ESF+ investments will ensure that these services remain relevant in a changing labour market, meeting both employers’ and jobseekers’ needs.
The ESF+ Education and Employment programme will strengthen social dialogue and partnerships for employment and training, stepping up the involvement of civil society organisations.
Enhancing labour-market accessibility and participation
Young people, particularly those who are not in education, employment or training, will receive support from a youth network funded by ESF+. This network coordinates activities between the PES and stakeholders, helping young people to find a job or continue their education.
Romania’s national ESF+ programme will implement the new Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve (ALMA) initiative for international mobility, providing disadvantaged young people with opportunities for short-term work placements abroad. ESF+ investments will also support the development of youth entrepreneurship and social enterprises helping disadvantaged young people with social and professional integration.
Dedicated measures will focus on the integration of women, persons with disabilities, and those from minority communities into the labour market, particularly in regions with the most pressing labour shortages. Employers will be supported to create facilities, engage in partnerships, expand childcare services for young children (0-6 years old) and adapt to more flexible forms of work, promoting work-life balance and gender equality.
Stimulating entrepreneurship and the social economy
The programme will invest in training and counselling for entrepreneurs, in grants for start-ups and in further support. The social economy sector will be strengthened through combined financial support, using both grants and financial instruments, including for labour market inclusion of disadvantaged workers, and the development of collaborative/participatory instruments.
Improving access to quality education, with a focus on the most disadvantaged
Investments in early childhood education aim at improving both its quality and accessibility. Among other measures, staff will receive additional training, and the quality assurance system will be enhanced – with new standards established.
Disadvantaged children and families will benefit from socio-educational assistance and material support, encouraging participation in formal education from an early age. ESF+ measures will prevent early school leaving by supporting at-risk students. These measures will focus on helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds, including children with disabilities and/or special needs, Roma, and children from rural areas.
Tackling skills shortages
Financing from the ESF+ will ensure vocational education and training (VET) remains relevant to the labour market needs, building the quality of VET through work-based learning, as well as upskilling educational staff. The programme will also fund the development of a system for the recognition of excellence in VET, particularly for skills supporting the digital and green professions.
Tertiary education will be strengthened, making post-secondary education more accessible and relevant. Funds will be used to develop a quality assurance system for adult learning and encourage people to take part in such schemes by increasing the offer for micro-credential certifications, implementing a pilot project on individual learning accounts and expanding ‘second chance’ educational programmes for young people and adults who have not completed formal education.
Expected impact
More than 1.5 million people are expected to benefit from Romania’s national ESF+ programme, including:
- more than 500 000 children and young people;
- 275 000 jobseekers and 87 000 employers assisted by the Public Employment Service;
- 240 000 participants finding employment;
- more than 354 000 participants gaining new qualifications.
Financial information
Breakdown of finances by priority axis
| Priority Axis | EU Investment | National Public Contribution | Total Public Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESF+ | 3.484.205.000,00 | 925.407.755,00 | 4.409.612.755,00 |
| Total | 3.484.205.000,00 | 925.407.755,00 | 4.409.612.755,00 |
Priorities and Specific Objectives
Social Europe
Access to employment and activation measures for all
Intergration of marginalised communities such as Roma
Modernising labour market institutions
Gender balanced labour market participation
Adaptation of workers and enterprises to change
Improving education and training systems
Quality and inclusive education and training systems
Lifelong learning and career transitions