TALENT LAB – Increasing employment potentials in Pomurje region
TALENT LAB project is co-financed by Norway with funds from the Norway Grants in the amount of EUR 409,945.49. The purpose of the project is to increase the employment potential of young people in the Pomurje region, where youth unemployment is the highest and the need for a developed support environment is the greatest in Slovenia.
Project activities will be focused on strengthening the capacity of the existing support environment, connecting educational institutions and the regional economy, and testing the practical work of young people in the field through identified expert challenges by companies. The implementation of the project will raise the quality of support services, as practical work on real challenges will be introduced as part of the educational curriculum of the involved educational partners, which will be solved with the help of a group of mentors from educational institutions, companies and the support environment (technology park).
Specific objectives:
1) Establishment of a sustainable mentoring scheme of services for young people
Within the framework of the specific objective, the aim is to ensure an increase in the employment potential of young people in the Pomurje region with the help of a regional mentoring scheme for young people, which will offer free services to two target groups (1) young people who have finished school and (2) young people who are in the process of completion of schooling. Since the region is faced with the problem of young people leaving the region or the non-return of those who go to school outside the region, it is necessary to start the support program already at the stage when the young people are still in school.
2) Raising the competencies of the support environment
Within the framework of the specific goal, the aim is to ensure the enhancement of the competencies of the support environment by introducing common digital tools for users of the scheme (common database), the identification and exchange of good practices of supportive programs for young people, and the expansion of the network of mentors and consultants of the support environment with the multidisciplinarity of mentors’ competences, which will be the result of the educational academy.
3) Solving entrepreneurial challenges and involving young people in entrepreneurial projects
Within the framework of a specific goal, the aim is to launch a support program for young people by involving them in solving entrepreneurial challenges. On the one hand, it will encourage and help start-up young entrepreneurs. On the other hand, it will enable the identification of talents alrerady in the schooling process, which will be activated and motivated to remain active after schooling in the home region.
Duration: 1 September 2022 – 30 April 2024 (20 months)
Project partners:
- Pomurje Technology Park (Lead partner)
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Faculty of Humanities
- University of Maribor (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
- School of Economics Murska Sobota
- Bilingual Secondary School Lendava
- Biotechnological School Rakičan
- Secondary School for Catering and Tourism Radenci
Contact person:
Tomaž Lapoša (+386 2 530 82 29, tomaz.laposa@p-tech.si)
Norway Grants
The Norway Grants and the EEA Grants represent Norway’s contribution towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. Through the Norway Grants and the EEA Grants, Norway contributes to reducing social and economic disparities and to strengthening bilateral relations with beneficiary countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. Norway cooperates closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). Together with the other donors, Norway has provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. Norway Grants are financed solely by Norway and are available in the countries that joined the EU after 2003. For the period 2014–2021, the Norway Grants amount to €1.25 billion.
The priorities for this period are:
#1 Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness
#2 Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction
#3 Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy
#4Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights
#5 Justice and Home Affairs
EEA and Norway Grants in Slovenia
Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development of Republic of Slovenia
NEWS
Successful KICK-OFF meeting of project partners
On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, a KICK-OFF meeting took place in the premises of the Pomurje technology park, which was attended by representatives of all six project partners from Slovenia. We reviewed the content of project work packages, time plan, defined initial activities and communication activities, management structure and reporting. We believe that we have well mapped out a path that will certainly yield tangible results in the coming months. We are all looking forward to connecting and cooperating with regional companies and young people in solving entrepreneurial challenges.
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Solving entrepreneurial challenges – 1st series 2022/2023
In the past autumn months TALENT LAB project partners from Slovenia rolled up our sleeves. We identified young talents, presented them the idea, held numerous working meetings with interested companies in Pomurje and together with them we defined the challenges of the companies that the young people will solve. The first series of solving entrepreneurial challenges or the entrepreneurial hackathon will run until the spring of 2023, when young people will prepare and present proposals for solutions for companies at a joint “PitchDay” presentation networking event. Together with the companies, we held practical trainings and presentation workshops in companies in October and November, where young people learned more about the work processes in the companies whose challenges they will solve or they are already solving. Young people, together with their mentors and mentors from companies, are already diligently researching, analyzing and working on the preparation of proposed solutions. 31 students are currently involved in the activities, solving the challenges of 11 companies or organizations from Pomurje region. Below are some highlights from the past few weeks.
Murska Sobota, 22.12.2022
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Exchange of good practices – study visit of Slovenian project partners to Norway (April 18-21, 2023)
Early in the morning on Tuesday, April 18 2023, representatives of Pomurje Technology Park, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (University of Maribor), School of Economics Murska Sobota, Bilingual Secondary School Lendava, Biotechnological School Rakičan and Secondary School for Catering and Tourism Radenci went on a study visit to our Norwegian partner NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) in Trondheim.
The purpose of the study visit was the exchange of good practices with educational, support and administrative organizations, as Norway, specifically the Trøndelag region, faces the challenges of migrating young, educated people from rural areas to cities. The hosts presented us with interesting measures, incentives and initiatives that encourage young people, connect them with the local economy and mitigate and/or prevent brain drain, which we have also been facing in Pomurje region for years. We would like to thank the host dr. Thomas Berker from NTNU and the organizations Nord-Østerdal Videregående Skole (Nord-Østerdal Secondary School in Tynset), Rørosregionen Næringshage as (Business Garden for Røros and Tynset – Regional Development Company), Trøndelag fylkeskommune (Trøndelag County Authority) for the excellent organization, presentations and hospitality.
Murska Sobota, 25.04.2023
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The first “PitchDay” presentation event was successfully carried out
The first PitchDay presentation event took place on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 in the School of Economics Murska Sobota premises. It was a great pleasure and honour for us that the event was attended by the Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek, Norwegian Ambassador in Budapest, which also covers Slovenia, Mrs. Trine Skymoen, Mayor of the Municipality of Murska Sobota, Mr. Damjan Anželj and the director of the School of Economics Murska Sobota Mr. Darko Petrijan. Marko Močnik, director of the Pomurje Technology Park, gave a comprehensive presentation of the reasons and further measures for strengthening the supportive environment and increasing employment potential in the Pomurje region. The event was also attended by the headmistresses of the involved secondary schools, representatives of the involved companies, mentors and coordinators from partner organizations and, of course, students – young talents from Pomurje region.
The main role at the PitchDay event was played by young talents from Pomurje. It was the final act in which the young talents creatively presented the results of their many months of work, i.e. proposed solutions for the companies involved. Well done young people, you really proved yourself. Of course, mentors from educational organizations and companies also deserve praise. The activities involved final year students of the School of Economics Murska Sobota, Bilingual Secondary School Lendava, Biotechnological School Rakičan, Secondary School of Catering and Tourism Radenci and students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Maribor, who in the past months together with their mentors solved concrete challenges of companies from Pomurje region and thus strengthened their competences. We also sincerely thank the commission, experienced business consultants from “SPOT svetovanje Pomurje” (Renata Stanko, Iris Lanščak and Roman Wolf) for their valued comments. The event was moderated by Ksenija Samardžija-Matul and Ana Sobočan. Klavdija Vrečič and Marko Vučko opened the event with a wonderful musical introduction.
A big thank you goes especially to the team of the School of Economics Murska Sobota for the excellent organization of the event!
You can find more photos HERE.
Murska Saturday, 19.05.2023
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We present to you the Handbook of Good Practices
Over the past months, TALENT LAB project partners have researched and identified good practices in support programs for young people. Through various projects on various EU and national programs, many tools, techniques and good practices have been developed in various European regions, which help to increase the employment potential of young people and where the regions use different approaches to stop the brain drain. Brain drain is a modern form of migration, which is characterized by the emigration or migration of highly educated individuals for work abroad, most often from less developed to more developed countries. The Pomurje region has been facing this challenge for years, which leads to the loss of valuable knowledge, experience and expertise. The handbook represents a valuable source of information for local communities, organizations and decision-makers, who strive to stop brain drain and attract highly educated personnel to less developed regions of Slovenia. By implementing proven practices from abroad, the Pomurje region, as well as Slovenia, can take advantage of opportunities for sustainable development and growth.
You can browse the manual at the following LINK or by clicking on the cover below.
You can also click HERE to view and download the handbook.
Smartphone users are recommended to scan the QR code below to access the handbook:
Murska Sobota, January 2024
