Programme Overview

YCI Romania was launched in 2004 at the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, presenting a brilliant training opportunity to young participants with limited chances to find a job or to continue in further education. Following two successful training programmes with the invaluable assistance of Leaders Romania, World Learning and Feed the Children, as well as a local orphanage and other contributors, the programme will be re-launched in 2011.

World Vision Romania will provide in-country coordination support to the initiative, which involves organising the recruitment of participants, arranging extra training sessions, and monitoring and tracking participants progress. Hilton and Rezidor properties will join Marriott in 2011.

Spotlight on Romania

Romania has been one of the EU countries hit the hardest by the current economic crisis. Based on 2011 statistics, approximately 23.4% of the youth are unemployed, largely because they do not possess the necessary tools or skills to meet the demands of the labour market, particularly in the service sector representing 50% of GDP.

Figures from 2012 reveal the tourism sector to generate 4.5% of GDP and 5.1% of employment, and therefore can provide substantial opportunities in terms of finding work.

Group of YCI students celebrates graduation in Romania

17 young people successfully finished the third cohort of the Youth Career Initiative (YCI) in Romania following six months of YCI's intensive education programme with over 900 training hours.

The Institute for the Development of Human Resources (IDRU) was able to offer two months of additional training thus enabling students to gain a formal qualification as “Hospitality worker – level 1”, which is recognised by the National Council for Adult Vocational Training.