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Project name:

Transition opportunities for jobs creation and career development, TOP JOBS – 101172365

Project period:

1 October 2024 – 30 September 2025

Project beneficiary:

Brand Media Bulgaria, co-funded by the European Union

Why TOP JOBS:

The successful transition to a climate-neutral economy guarantees the reduction of inequalities, the creation of employment with new high-quality jobs, while at the same time strengthening the competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy. Therefore, the support of the European Cohesion Policy, through fund provisioning to the regions most negatively affected, in particular coal mining regions, is crucial for the diversification and revitalization of local economies and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities.

The “Transition opportunities for jobs creation and career development” (TOP JOBS) project will create and distribute content that highlights the results of Cohesion Policy in regions facing such challenges. The project, which builds on the success of last year's Transition Opportunities project, will outline the many opportunities for employment, job creation, entrepreneurship and upskilling that Cohesion Policy and the Just Transition Fund bring and will continue to create in the three Bulgarian coal regions as well as in the country.

In this way, TOP JOBS will address the local residents’ main concerns related to rising levels of unemployment, poverty and declining professional opportunities for younger generations, which may lead to increasing depopulation in these regions even before coal is phased out.

What do we want to achieve?

TOP JOBS seeks to raise awareness of the European Cohesion Policy contribution to job creation and sustainable labour market development in coal-dependent regions; to highlight the opportunities for employment, job creation, entrepreneurship and upskilling that Cohesion Policy and the JTF create in these regions; to address the main concerns of residents related to rising unemployment, poverty and declining job opportunities for younger generations, which can lead to depopulation even before the smooth exit from coal mining has been achieved.

Activities:

• 3 regional conferences dedicated to just transition;
• 3 workshops on entrepreneurship opportunities in transition regions;
• 1 career forum;
• Hundreds of publications in own and external media channels;
• Survey of public opinion in the three regions;
• Mapping successful examples from regions in transition in other EU countries;
• Podcast;
• Media campaign on social networks.

Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. The European Union cannot be held responsible for them.