The Vice-President of the Government announced at the Legislative Assembly in Horta a proposal with the aim of regularising the situation of workers integrated in the Regional Public Administration and regional public companies under socio-professional integration programmes, commonly known as occupational programmes. 

Sérgio Ávila spoke at the plenary session held last Tuesday. On the occasion, he stressed that this proposal, whose decision was taken in conjunction with the Parliamentary Group of the Socialist Party, aims to ensure the integration of workers in the Regional Public Administration and regional public companies that have been working for at least three years, with an interruption period of no more than 120 days. 

“This measure will integrate the workers who, on the date of publication of this year's Budget, January 8, have been working for at least three years at the same service in the Regional Public Administration or in a public company,” announced the government official. In this regard, he also added that they must have “the academic qualifications required for the respective professional category.” 

According to the Vice-President, this Government's decision “intends to further strengthen the stability of the Regional Public Administration and contribute to the professional and personal stability of those who have carried out their professional activity with dedication, thus valuing their efforts." 

“The Regional Government considers that this is the time to determine, with rigour, transparency and objectivity, the situations of the Regional Administration's permanent staffing needs that are being suppressed with workers enrolled in socio-professional integration programmes," stressed the government official. 

In this context, Sérgio Ávila stressed “the merit of socio-professional integration programmes during the years when a response from the Regional Government was needed to help mitigating the negative effects caused by the international situation on the Azorean families.”

“Socio-professional integration programmes have been enhancing the qualification and skills of unemployed people as they provided an opportunity to be in close contact with the labour market, thus contributing to their employability and professional integration,” said Sérgio Ávila. 

“At a time of economic recovery and employment growth, more than 70% of the Azoreans who completed socio-professional integration programmes in 2018 found employment six months after the end of the programme, thus fulfilling the goals of these measures and resuming their professional lives," added the Vice-President. 

According to the latest data from the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training - IEFP, there are currently less than half of the beneficiaries of occupational programmes in the Azores compared to the figures registered at the beginning of this legislative period. 

"Currently, there are 3,364 fewer Azoreans enrolled in occupational programmes and 2,629 fewer unemployed Azoreans," added the government official. 

In this legislative term alone, we managed to create jobs for 5,993 Azoreans who were enrolled in programmes or unemployed," said Sérgio Ávila. 
The Vice-President also mentioned that, “contrary to what is usually said about the Azoreans benefiting from occupational measures, only 25%, i.e., a quarter, are working in the Regional Public Administration.” 

Sérgio Ávila noted that most of the Azoreans covered by occupational measures, about 75%, three-quarters, work outside the Regional Public Administration, namely the local administration, Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS), cooperatives and other non-profit institutions, or are in training.

“It is also time for these entities to keep up with efforts and follow the example of the Regional Government and the Regional Public Administration, ensuring greater stability for their workers,” said the government official. 

In his speech, the Vice-President also announced the integration of 189 workers in the Regional Public Administration staff, by the end of this month, who had been working on fixed-term contracts or service provision contracts for two years. 
 
“The fulfilment of this commitment is already being concluded,” Sérgio Ávila said, stressing that the goal is “to strengthen employment stability.” After the survey of needs and the submission of applications, “we conclude that, after all, only 1.7% of the Regional Public Administration workers in the general career scheme were in this situation.” 

“This reality clearly demonstrates that the Regional Public Administration has a stable staff and is based on contracts of indefinite durations, with fixed-term contracts being residual,” stressed the government official. 

In this regard, the Vice-President stated, once this process is concluded and the stability of the Regional Public Administration staff is ensured, “it is important to address the permanent staffing needs that still exist in the general careers of the Regional Public Administration, namely in the areas of Education and Health.” 

Under the terms of the Public Service Law, “the Global Recruitment Plan of the Regional Public Administration will be approved by the end of the first quarter of each year, which determines the number of posts advertised in the regional administration for each service,” announced Sérgio Ávila. 

In this regard, the Vice-President mentioned that there were 897 posts advertised last year and that another 721 had been advertised in 2018.