Qualification constitutes a key factor for more economical growth, plus employment and plus social cohesion. It was within this context that Portugal Telecom, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry for Work and Social Solidarity signed an agreement to create the Recognition, Validation and Competence Certification Centre in the scope of the New Opportunities initiative.
The objective is to promote the certification of competences acquired by employees in the scope of training carried out in the PT Group. As a complement, an additional training effort with be assured, oriented by the objective to enable the certification of schooling and professional competences. Approximately 500 employees with be covered by this program during the first year.
For Miguel Horta e Costa, Executive Chairman of the PT Group, talent would be the expression that synthesizes this initiative. “Everyone is blessed with a talent. It is important to find and cultivate it, especially at a time when the competitive advantage of companies and countries has the capacity to generate, manage and develop new talents”.
This was a challenge that Portugal Telecom faced with great serenity in its various sides. “By defining it as a goal, we will be the best company to work for, we elevate our own management of active human resources and we search to find, through the analysis of best worldwide practises, a model which answers our concerns and objectives”.
The fundamental management references of the PT Group are, through this, synthesized in five sectors: Ambition, Demand, Growth, Leadership and Talent, which takes into consideration a joint effort and the perspective of a model that, can generate synergies and human and company development. A Strategic Active Human Resources Management which is unique to the Group, computerized and supported in an international benchmark.
As an example of Portugal Telecom strategic initiatives, the training credit system should be mentions, which is institutionally underway and which will allow, in 2007, to fix an objective of 40 training hours per employee. The Executive Chairman also highlighted the importance of the PT Virtual University which has allowed for the continuous development of specific business competences as well as strategic and management competences.
Because a good quality of life doesn’t only include the employees but also their family, especially their children, the Scholarship program and the attribution of computers to families with lesser incomes are to be highlighted. An effort which was recognised in 2005 with PT being elected as the most family responsible company.
Miguel Horta e Costa sees the New Opportunities initiative as a critical tool not only for the improvement of the global performance of the company but also for the motivation and employability of employees who are covered by it. He stated that “The Portuguese Government not only has a determined partner in Portugal Telecom, but one who is also convinced that this is the right way to go”.
2.5 million Active employees did not complete obligatory schooling
According to Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues, Minister of Education, this initiative is aimed at facing and proposing solutions to two big problems. Firstly, the historical delay in adult qualification due to the lack of training opportunities. Here, we have half of the active population (the one that has the capacity to exercise a paid activity) which has less than the 9th grade. Approximately 2,5 million of active workers did not complete the current obligatory schooling. Secondly, we have youngsters who had the opportunity to complete their qualifications but abandoned school. More than 400 thousand aged below 24 did not complete secondary education.
These numbers become relevant when we become conscious that low qualifications result in low salaries and a greater risk of unemployment. According to Maria João Rodrigues “the figures are impressing especially when it takes into consideration the generation of our children who were born after the 25th of April and which had all the opportunities. The Country does not give up on its human resources nor on the combat of social inequality and so it puts an effort into the diversification of training offers”.
“Professional qualification is a matter which Portugal Telecom takes seriously”, José Sócrates.
José Sócrate began his intervention with an allusion to the various thinkers which classify the current world and a “post world”. A post democratic world, a post industrial world. But according to the words of the Prime Minister “a post world means that the current working models in our society are in crisis. The world has changed and strengthens uncertainty and non-definition”. For these reasons, José Sócrates shows himself to be convinced that “knowledge is a critical variable for the success and richness of nations” and recalls the fact that only 20% of the adult population completed secondary education, a value which unfavourably compares with the ratios presented by the partners in north and even East Europe. “This is a figure which we have to look at a number of times. These 20% compromise economical growth in a sustained manner in the medium term. The compromise to fight against the unemployment rate and the possibility to improve salaries. In the next years, Portugal must win the qualifications battle”.
This initiative hopes to give a new opportunity to those who are working and which hope to go further. Sócrate highlights that the protocol which was now signed is a sign that “this is a matter that Portugal Telecom takes seriously” and appeals to all companies who are part of this program. All in the name of a safer future.