The Vice-President of the Government stressed that it is "undeniable" that the Azores are in "an upward path of development and progress."
 
Sérgio Ávila stressed that "we talking more about the Azores outside the Azores," whether about the regional products" of undeniable quality" and the Region's natural resources or about "our people who have crossed the Atlantic border that separates us from the rest of the world."
 
The Vice-President of the Government spoke at the opening of the 1st Regional Employment and Vocational Training Exhibition that takes place until May 12. He pointed out as example of this path "the recovery of economic activity," the increase of "job offers at employment centres, the growth of more companies and the increased search for skilled labour."
 
"The Regional Employment and Vocational Training Exhibition comes precisely to foster this spirit," Sérgio Ávila said, adding that he hopes that the event achieves success for bringing together supply and demand in terms of employment and vocational training.
 
In his speech, he stressed the role of vocational training schools in qualification and employability. According to him, the Government of the Azores "has invested 21.6 million Euros in this legislative period, allowing vocational training schools and other certified training entities to teach 1,237 courses intended to train 15,000 Azoreans, including young people, adults, workers and unemployed."

For the Vice-President, the role of entrepreneurs is also "fundamental" in this progress trajectory, noting that "they are the promoters of the investment that generates wealth and creates new jobs."

Hence, the Regional Government has made available to entrepreneurs a series of measures intended to support the hiring of workers. On the one hand, these measures are aimed at the rapid integration of young people and unemployed into the labour market and, on the other hand, they promote a secure business growth with reduced risks.

"These measures have allowed the creation of about 3,800 jobs distributed by the PIIE programme, directed to young trainees, and the Integra programme; the latter is addressed to the unemployed," said the government official.

Sérgio Ávila recalled that there had not been as many people employed in the Region since 2011. In 2015, the Azores registered the largest reduction in the unemployment rate over the last 10 years and the number of unemployed registered at employment centres is the smallest of the last 14 months.
 
The Vice-President of the Government said he hopes that the Regional Employment and Vocational Training Exhibition becomes a "multiplier of good contacts and good decision," conveying his belief in a "very positive" result, not only in a personal level of those attending the event but also "in favour of the Azores."