Title: Supporting Employment through Technological Training

Acronym: S.O.F.T. (Susținem Ocuparea prin Formare Tehnologică)

The purpose of the project is to increase access to and participation in vocational training in digital literacy and information & communication technology for 600 employed persons on the labour market, through training and innovative activities that support the upskilling of employees and enhance their professional adaptability to the dynamics of economic sectors with competitive potential identified in the National Competitiveness Strategy (SNC) and in the smart specialisation areas of the National Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation (SNCDI), with a particular focus on employees of SMEs in the North-West Region of Romania.

Objectives:

• Improving competences in digital literacy and information & communication technology for 600 employees from the target group, over an 18-month period (OS1);
• Stimulating at least 100 employers to develop the digital competences of their employees by organising workplace learning programmes in digital literacy and ICT, thereby enhancing professional adaptability to economic sectors with competitive potential identified by SNC and SNCDI (OS2);
• Increasing the interest and awareness of employers regarding the importance and need for employee participation in continuous training programmes, through an 18-month awareness campaign targeting SMEs in the North-West Region (OS3).

Funding programme: Human Capital Operational Programme (POCU) 2014–2020 / European Social Fund (ESF) – Priority Axis 3 "Jobs for All", Operation 3.12 "Improving the level of knowledge/competences/skills of employees in the economic sectors/areas identified under the National Competitiveness Strategy (SNC) and the National Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation (SNCDI)"

Project duration: 15 months (01/10/2022 – 31/12/2023)

Budget:

• Total budget: 4.675.511,94 lei
• Holisun budget: 1.401.700,40 lei

Partners:

• Maramureș Chamber of Commerce and Industry – CCIMM (Project Leader)
• Centre of Excellence for Community Resources Ltd. – CERC (Partner 1)
• Holisun SRL (Partner 2)
• Maramureș Entrepreneurs' Association – AIM (Partner 3)

 

Holisun's role in the project:

Holisun SRL participated as Partner 2 in the S.O.F.T. project, contributing with its expertise as an authorised continuous vocational training (FPC) provider and its experience in IT services and managing EU-funded research projects worth millions of euros. As an IT company founded in 2001 with nearly two decades of experience in digital innovation — including robotics, remote control systems and remote maintenance for major industrial actors worldwide — Holisun was responsible for delivering the most advanced share of digital training within the consortium, focused on process digitalisation for SME employees.

Holisun's specific activities: o Recruitment, information and registration of target group participants from the North-West Region (Activity A1); o Organisation and delivery of vocational training in the field of business process digitalisation for 300 employees from the target group (Subactivity A2.3) — the largest training share among all partners; o Mentoring and support to SMEs for the introduction of workplace learning programmes in digital literacy and ICT (Activity A3); o Organisation and delivery of awareness campaign events targeting employers regarding the importance of continuous vocational training (Activity A4); o Project co-management through dedicated Project Coordinator and Financial Responsible.

Holisun's indicators and targets:

• 300 employed persons trained by Holisun in business process digitalisation (out of the project's total of 600 participants) — representing 50% of the project's main training indicator;
• 20 training groups organised by Holisun in the field of digital process management;
• 300 persons with improved digital competences as a result of Holisun's training activities;
• 273 graduates (91% completion rate) obtaining certificates of completion;
• Contribution to programme indicator 4S36 "Employees benefiting from training programmes" – min. 600 total, of which 300 trained by Holisun;
• Contribution to programme indicator 4S34 "Persons who obtain a qualification/whose competences are validated in economic sectors/areas of smart specialisation according to SNC/SNCDI upon ending participation" – min. 546 total;
• Contribution to programme indicator 4S17 "Supported enterprises, of which: SMEs" – min. 100;
• Contribution to programme indicator 4S35 "Enterprises introducing workplace learning programmes 6 months after the end of support, of which: SMEs" – min. 3.

Holisun's resources committed to the project:

• Training room, laptop, smart board, printer, internet connection, office furniture;
• E-learning platform and online communication platform for digital course delivery;
• Videoconferencing system and additional laptops for the project team;
• Dedicated project team based at Holisun headquarters, Str. Cărbunari nr. 8, Baia Mare, Maramureș;
• Project team: Project Coordinator, Activities Coordinator, GT Recruitment Expert, Trainers, Course Evaluator, Financial Responsible.