Official guidelines on traineeships and apprenticeships

The Labor Code (Кодекс на труда) (articles 233a, 233b) provides for an employment contract for traineeship. This contract may be concluded with young people up to the age of 29 who have completed secondary or higher education, but do not have professional and employment experience in the same profession or specialty. The regulation of the employment contract for traineeship has expanded the opportunities for employers to hire young people and helps to ensure quality traineeships and protect the labor rights of trainees. The contract determines the manner and form through which the practical skills are acquired in the process of performing work duties, the duration (between 6 and 12 months), and other traineeship-related conditions. 

The Employment Promotion Act (Закон за насърчаване на заетостта) contains provisions for the opening of apprenticeship and traineeship jobs for unemployed persons with primary or lower education and without qualification, however not expressly related to young people.  

Promoting traineeships and apprenticeships

According to programs and measures implemented in accordance with the Employment Promotion Act with funding from the state budget, the following initiatives are implemented to encourage employers to hire young people for internships or apprenticeship:

• Encouraging employers to open traineeship jobs to unemployed persons up to the age of 29 by providing funds for remuneration, social and health insurance. The subsidies for the employer comprise remuneration, additional payments, paid leave, social security;
• Encouraging the employment of unemployed young people with primary and lower education and without qualification for apprenticeship under the guidance of a mentor by providing funds for remuneration, social and health insurance. The subsidies for the employer comprise remuneration, additional payments, paid leave, social security, additional remuneration for the mentor;

• Career Start program (Национална програма „Старт на кариерата“) - provision of opportunities to acquire work experience in public administration for unemployed young people who have completed higher education, with the aim of facilitating the transition between education and employment.

• Program for youth employment in the field of culture (Програма за заетост на младежи в областта на културата) – provision of opportunities to acquire work experience for unemployed persons up to 29 years of age who have graduated secondary education with qualification for profession in the following fields: art, music and stage arts, design, applied arts and crafts.  

Recognition of learning outcomes

After the termination of the employment contract for traineeship under the Labour Code, the young person receives a reference certifying the results of the training. Regulated traineeship meets the Quality Framework for Traineeships in terms of reasonable duration, recognition of traineeship, adequate social protection and pay. 

Funding

The measures and initiatives for traineeship and apprenticeship described in subsection Promoting traineeships and apprenticeships above are funded from the state budget. 

Quality assurance

At the end of each year, the institutions and employers implementing the programs and measures report the implementation to the Minister of Labor and Social Policy. The programs are assessed at national level based on the collected information and direct observations.