July 10, 2024 | University of La Habana (La Habana, Cuba).
On July 10, 2024, the aforementioned meeting on employability took place at the University of Havana, with the participation of 25 people, including municipal deputy directors of labor, methodologists from CELASS (Center for Studies of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security), specialists from the Provincial Labor Directorate, the director and experts from the National Directorate of State Employment, and the advisor to the Minister of MTSS, an expert in occupation and employment analysis issues. At this event, López Menchón lectured on professional guidance services and the system of indicators to evaluate employability in Andalusia, a topic previously requested by the National Directorate of State Employment.
This generated strong interest in professional guidance services and, in particular, in the use of the professional guidance service certificate for job seekers. Also discussed was the virtual card for unemployed persons, which allows them to apply for subsidies and has a duration of 2 years. Additionally, topics such as employment in cases like Cuba’s, employment management for priority groups (youth collective up to 35 years or women), or the process of granting state employment to individuals dismissed from it were addressed.
The initiative of job fairs held during the current year 2024 stood out (four are planned in total), with a growing number of attendees at this type of event. These fairs bring together job seekers and employers, with the possibility of establishing networks, though without the obligation to formalize contractual relationships. López Menchón noted that similar experiences exist in Spain, but with the added feature that contracts are signed on-site. In addition to these contributions, the state employment director expressed interest in impact indicators for the model and in measuring the effectiveness of this type of job fair.
In conclusion, a successful meeting took place where various public and academic actors converged to continue advancing toward greater effectiveness in state employment and training services.