Telenor Successfully Completes Youth Employment Project

Telenor successfully completed the implementation of the Telenor Bulgaria in Support of Youth Employment project, financed by the Operational Program Human Resources Development and co-financed by EU’s European Social Fund.

During the project, a total of 36 unemployed young men and women gained practical experience and working skills in a real business environment. 18 of them were employed permanently with the company. Project budget covered all training expenses as well as participants’ remuneration up to the minimal social insurance threshold and all social insurance payments. The contract duration of the employment was 12 months and the total project value was set at BGN 374,527.36.

Project participants were selected after extensive interviews at Sofia unemployment offices with more than 120 candidates. Selected participants underwent training courses before joining Telenor business operations. All candidates who opted to continue with the project after the training were offered regular employment contracts as shop administrators for a period of one year or until end ofApril 2015, depending on the date of employment.

„The Telenor project gave these unemployed youths the chance to obtain key competences and skills which will make them more competitive and successful in their careers. The performance of the project participants was fully up to our standards and we are happy that many of them were offered permanent employment with Telenor“, said Ms. Lilia Vladimirova, Telenor Shared HR Services Centre Manager, who was in charge of the project.

The inclusion of Telenor in the New Jobs scheme is just another company initiative in support of the youth employment in the country.

More than 1,500 young people applied to take part in the Telenor annual Traineeship Program. As part of the initiative, more than 50 students from various Bulgarian universities will have the opportunity to gain professional experience in the field of telecommunications. This year, the company is looking for trainees in the following professional areas: Regulations, Marketing, Radio and Telecommunications, Public Relations, Customer Care, Human Resources and Administration, Information Technology. The Traineeship Program, now in its twelfth year, will kick off in the beginning of July. The two-month internship in the company is paid.

The Traineeship Program which is held for the twelfth consecutive year, is among the most successful Telenor youth initiatives. So far, it involved more than 400 students form Bulgarian and foreign universities and nearly 30% of them later joined the company’s team of professionals. Since the start of the program in 2004, the telecom has invested over BGN 1 million in the development and support of young talents in Bulgaria.

Telenor Bulgaria is a leading telecommunication company with over 3.8 million active subscribers in Bulgaria. As of March-2015, the company’s services are available to 99.98% of Bulgaria’s population, covering over 99.50% of the country’s territory, and Telenor UMTS network covers 98% of the population. By November 4, 2014, the company operated under the GLOBUL brand. Since August 1, 2013, it has been a part of Telenor Group which operates in 13 countries in Europe and Asia and has 190 million subscribers.