SMEs to benefit from new skills training initiative, announces Maria João Carreiro - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Juventude, Habitação e Emprego

The Regional Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, Maria João Carreiro, presided over the opening of the Azores Industry, Trade and Services Fair – FICSA 2026 – this Friday, on behalf of the President of the Azores Regional Government. 

On the occasion, the government official announced that the Azorean Government will launch a new ESF+ call for proposals this year, with an estimated budget of €2 million, to fund training for workers in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“A strong economy cannot exist without skilled workers, and skilled workers cannot exist without continuous investment in training,” she noted, explaining that this new funding represents “a new step forward in skills development.” 

According to the Regional Secretary, this EU funding instrument should help to “transform real skills needs into tangible plans for skills development and bespoke training,” based on specific assessments, business action plans and training in a real-world work context. 

Furthermore, it should provide comprehensive solutions for companies which, on their own, often lack the scale or capacity to organise training sessions. 

“We want training to become more than just a service on offer. We want it to become, increasingly, a solution developed with companies and for companies,” stated the government official. In this regard, she emphasised that “it is not simply a matter of funding more training, but rather of better organising demand, listening to companies and identifying needs-” 

Maria João Carreiro stressed that “vocational training is not an option; it is now a strategic necessity,” noting that “companies in the Azores still face some difficulty in investing in staff training.” As such, “even more committed steps are needed to foster training within companies with even greater determination,” she said. 

The government official emphasised that the Government is doing its part, namely by streamlining procedures, stepping up support measures and ensuring that no company fails to invest in training due to a lack of resources, notwithstanding the obligation to provide training for workers as enshrined in the Labour Code. 

“At the end of the day, no matter how you look at it, it all comes down to skills, as providing people with skills will strengthen the economy, and a stronger economy ensures a better future for everyone. Let us all make the most of the talent of the Azoreans,” she stressed.

FICSA is annually organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada (CCIPD) and runs until May 14 at the Portas do Mar in Ponta Delgada.

Maria João Carreiro congratulated the business association on its commitment to “organising and modernising an event that has made a name for itself through its ability to mobilise and make an impact on businesses and visitors.” It is now an “essential fixture in the regional economic calendar.”

The Regional Secretary also highlighted that CIPD and its members decided to make skills and employment the key theme of this edition, “sending a clear message about the importance of skills for workers and companies.” 

The Regional Secretariat for Youth, Housing and Employment (SRJHE) has joined this initiative – “close to the people, connected to reality and focused on solutions” – with a “strong institutional presence,” driven by the Regional Directorate for Vocational Training and Employment and the Regional Directorate for Youth.

Accordingly, visitors will find an open customer service desk at the 54 m² SRJHE institutional stand. They will also have the opportunity to learn about youth, skills development and employment programmes for young people and adults, as well as for companies and employers. 

The stand also features a section promoting vocational education at regional vocational schools, as part of the “Your First Choice” campaign. This initiative is annually promoted by the Regional Government to raise awareness of vocational education pathways and Level 4 vocational courses with dual certification: academic and professional. 

Every day, the SRJHE stand will host "Your First Choice Lab – Discovering Careers" sessions, during which vocational school students will conduct live and interactive demonstrations of occupations and career fields.