It is in Hungary’s best interest to help the career start of young people who are open to learning new skills, dedicated to work and determined to put the newly-acquired knowledge to good use in their home country, Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga said at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new vocational training centre of Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary Ltd in Kecskemét.

Practical training and knowledge obtained in an international working environment are already a competitive advantage and this is the trend that has been becoming prevalent nowadays on labour markets, he noted.

He said that the Hungarian Government had decided years ago to transform the Hungarian vocational training system and make it adaptable to demands of the economy. By now, the necessary institutional and legal background has been created, vocational training centres have been established, and practical training has also been conducted in accordance with new principles, he pointed out.

The automobile industry has been one of the main drivers of the Hungarian economy, therefore the Government does everything in its power to support the sector’s development, Mihály Varga stated. In order to reach this goal and contribute to the sector’s successful operation in the future, the Cabinet has been pursuing an adequate industrial development programme, constantly improving business environment and developing supplier networks. Special attention is being paid to the development of education related to the automobile manufacturing sector; that is why the university quotas for engineering and natural science studies have been increased in recent years and projects focusing on enhancing engineering studies have been prioritized.

The Kecskemét education base will spearhead the adaptation of the dual vocational education system in Hungary, he stressed. The programme, in place since 2011, has provided competitive knowledge for pupils from the secondary level all across to tertiary education.

The Government adds HUF 622 million (EUR 2 million) to the financing of the project.

(Ministry for National Economy)