This year’s job creation tender for SMEs will provide funding of altogether HUF 13bn for 1254 enterprises which amount is expected to assist the creation of 6541 new jobs, Minister of State for Employment Sándor Czomba said at a press conference.

In addition, the Minister of State pointed out, tender winners undertake to maintain some 18 thousand existing jobs. He also announced that winners of the tender aimed at companies and institutions offering vocational training courses have also been selected, and the total amount earmarked for them has been increased from HUF 5.4bn to HUF 7.5bn.

The amount injected into the economy by the two tenders will total HUF 20bn, he stressed.

Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises can gain grants for purchasing new machinery and equipment through the job creation tender announced in January. The Minister of State called attention to the fact that over the past three years, between 2011 and 2013, altogether 2100 SMEs received funding of HUF 25bn. Consequently, 13 500 new jobs have been created in the private sector and the programme also helped retain 24 thousand existing jobs.

Sándor Czomba also emphasised that for several years most tender applications have come from the most disadvantaged regions. This year, the highest number of applications came from Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Baranya and Békés Counties, but Pest County was also coming up fast.

As far as the allocated amount is concerned, applicants from Szabolcs County were the most successful by gaining some HUF 2bn out of the HUF 13bn in total.

Among economic sectors, the manufacturing industry has been the most active with 32 percent of applications, followed by retail trade, vehicle repair and service providers, the construction sector and the hotel and catering industry.

The Minister of State stressed he believes it important that the great majority of winners, 1164 enterprises, have applied for grants below HUF 20 million each.

The second tender aims primarily to assist those enterprises which engage technical or vocational school pupils through apprentice contracts, Sándor Czomba said adding that in this way the Government intends to prevent the recurrence of unemployment.

Winners can receive HUF 1.5 million per pupil or HUF 15 million per enterprise to improve their technological equipment which ensures up-to-date training for their apprentices. Through the programme, Sándor Czomba pointed out, the Government is contributing to the modernized vocational training of almost 100 thousand pupils.

(Ministry for National Economy)