On September 6, 2012 the National Training Fund (NTF) held its very first conference on “Education geared towards employment and employee” at Armenia Marriott Hotel. In his opening speech, Minister of Education and Science Mr. Armen Ashotyan voiced a number of issues related to the area of lifelong education and noted that employers at first place should be willing and open to contribute to the educational processes working towards cooperation in crucial aspects of training of qualified employees. In Mr. Ashotyan’s opinion the Lifelong learning model requires long-term investments to shape well-demanded and quality workforce that will eventually secure the economic growth of enterprises. Ms. Hakobyan, the head of the NTF, talked over the directions, goals and opportunities of the Fund development. The conference hosted discussions over the supply and demand of the labor marker of Armenia that require additional support and cooperation and are directed at human capacity building and enhancement. Some mechanisms of fundraising for the NTR were discussed as well.

The conference welcomed participants from the RA Government, social partnership parties, employers, representatives of the Employers’ union and Chamber of commerce. Representatives of Tanger recruitment agency were among the participants of the conference.