On Monday, at the inauguration, in Ponta Delgada, of the XVIII Regional Championship of the Professions, the Regional Secretary for Employment and Social Solidarity said that approximately seven thousand young students are presently enrolled in Professional Training courses in the Azores.

According to Ana Marques, two of the three thousand young people that enter the employment market every year come from professional training schools, a figure which demonstrates “the great endeavours of private institutions, schools and of the Government and its policies in finding employment for young people with professional training.”

She said that there are four thousand certified professional instructors in the Azores and that this is “extremely positive” and should, therefore, stimulate further governmental investment.

The XVIII Regional Championship of the Professions will continue until Friday, at the Sea Pavilion (Pavilhão do Mar). With this event, the Regional Government seeks to promote communication across different socioeconomic domains, to challenge the adaptive capacities of students and inspire a sense of esprit de corps and friendship amongst participants that will help them overcome personal, professional and social difficulties and inhibitions thus enabling them to contribute to the valorisation and development of Professional Training.

For five days, 15 professions will enter the championship: Hairdressing, Carpentry, Accounting and Management, Cooking, Civil Construction Drawing, Electrical Installation, Industrial Electronics, Cisco Specialists, Make-up, Information Technology (IT) Network Management, Work Hygiene and Security, Waitering and Bar-work, Information Technology, Web Design, Hotel Receptionist.