Self-employed Azerbaijani listed among Int'l Labor Organization's success stories

By Azernews

By Ofeliya Afandiyeva

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has listed the success story by a self-employed Azerbaijani among the 10 best success stories in the world, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection has said in its official website.

The story by Aykhan Ibrahimov, a resident of Sumgayit, is the most-read success story in the ILO’s website so far.

In his article, Ibrahimov described his story that narrated his experience as unemployed, starting from the point when he registered at State Employment Service under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and took the “Generate Your Business and Start Your Business” modules in 2016 as part of the “Partnerships for Youth Employment in the Commonwealth of Independent States” ILO project.

The training helped him generate a viable business idea in line with his skills and family background, which led him to start his own retail business. After only two months of training, he submitted his business plan.

Ibrahimov started his business in June 2017. The follow up session with his trainer and the continuous coaching that followed his training was decisive for the success of his company.

In fact, after only 10 months he was already in a position to expand and to hire new employees. He therefore was able to involve his father and brother and to run his company as a family business.

Ibrahimov’s business is still expanding; he just bought more equipment and hired four new employees and has no intention of stopping here. He is planning to open one more shop and one day hopefully, turn the whole business into a couture house.

After all his achievements, he is confident that he is equipped with the necessary skills to succeed.

“I want to tell every young person - don’t worry and follow your dreams. You just have to try and believe in yourself,” Ibrahimov recommended in his article.

It should be noted that the technical cooperation project “Partnerships for Youth Employment in the Commonwealth of Independent States” was financially supported by the PJSC LUKOIL and implemented by the ILO. It aims to improve the effectiveness of youth employment policies and programmes in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan to establish a framework for regional cooperation and knowledge sharing on youth employment.

In Azerbaijan, the project supported government’s efforts in diversification of economy and creation of decent jobs, especially for young people, through a designed package of measures covering youth employment programmes. Based on the Project's interventions, a new self-employment program supported by the Presidential Fund, helped around 1500 households to start new, formal business.

Reform in Public Employment Services (PES) was conducted and staff was trained by the ILO. New National Employment Strategy 2017-2030, aligned with the SDGs was developed. National Tripartite Commission on Labour, Economic and Social Affairs was created.

New Unemployment Insurance Law was developed and came into force. Transition from the informal to the formal economy was prioritized by the government through creating special commission and developing an action plan, which is implemented with the ILO support.

The program will be conducted to December 31, 2022.

Note that the State Employment Service of Azerbaijan was established in accordance with presidential order in 1991.

Azerbaijani State Employment Service assists employers to select staff and citizens to find suitable jobs. The Service provides them with information about demand and offer in the labor market, organizes vocational trainings in order to assist young people in choosing a profession, organizes professional training, retraining and professional development of unemployed and job seeker people, organization of public works, organization of labor fairs, issues unemployment status, determinate unemployment benefit and payment, organize temporary employment of citizens through labor exchanges.

The Agency was established in accordance with the presidential order in 1991.