Desislava Dimitrova, Executive Director of RIA - Vratsa
Desislava Dimitrova is a partner in the occupational medicine company "Prevent Consult Bulgaria", a supervisor for Vratsa and the region of two sociological agencies "Market Links" and "Gallup International Balkan" and a producer of ecologically clean honey and bee products. Since 2019 she has been Executive Director of the Redional Industrial Association - Vratsa.
The Regional Industrial Association - Vratsa (RIA - Vratsa) is a regional representation of the Bulgarian Industrial Association. At the local level, the activity is focused on improving human resources and strengthening the relationship between education and business. The Association has successfully developed a Vocational Training Center (VET), which is licensed by the National Agency for Vocational Training and Education. The Center is certified to provide trainings for professional qualification and trainings in part of a profession, participates in numerous training projects for working and unemployed people.
Since 2019, the Center has been a partner of Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" on the territory of Vratsa District for postgraduate training for the acquisition of additional professional qualification "Teacher of...", courses and qualifications under Ordinance No. 125 of 22.07.2019. for the status and professional development of teachers, principals and other pedagogical specialists, courses for additional training for the acquisition of qualification credits. Since 2023, RIA - Vratsa has also been working as an outsourced center for candidate student admission of documents to Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar".
What are the biggest challenges of entrepreneurs in the city?
First of all, the lack of labor force is a long-standing problem, which is rooted primarily in the unwillingness to work and the lack of work habits, and only then in the qualification. We are working the issue of qualifications, but it seems that we have not yet found the key to motivation. Secondly, there is the problem of infrastructure. Of the little over 3360 km of national roads in Northwestern Bulgaria, more than half are in poor or moderate condition. Only a third of them, namely 1158 km, are in relatively good condition. The closure of the E79 road between Botevgrad and Mezdra, which is the connection with the capital, and an important international road, creates an extreme difficulty for citizens and businesses.
How does RIA - Vratsa contribute to improving the qualification of the workforce?
The licensed Vocational Training Center at RIA - Vratsa works together with the Labor Office in Vratsa and provides trainings in various areas for unemployed persons for qualification and retraining. We run refresher courses for electrical safety qualification groups, refresher courses for firefighters and persons suspending loads on lifting equipment. Annually, in conjunction with the Working Conditions Fund, we provide free health and safety training to employers.
What are the activities of RIA - Vratsa at the moment and how would you prioritize the future development of the organization?
The main direction we are working on at the moment is the Vocational Training Center, but we have always supported the dialogue between the entrepreneurs from the city and the institutions. It is towards better visibility and protection of the interests of business at the local level that our activities will be focused in the future. The Bulgarian Industrial Association issues and certifies certificates of origin, as well as other foreign trade documents. They are necessary for the Bulgarian exporting companies to carry out their activities and to clear their goods without hindrance on the territory of the importing country. As a regional organization, we plan to develop this activity in Vratsa as well. We will certainly look for our place in various European projects that would be beneficial for both business and local development of the region. I believe that there will be interest from business and we will enrich our membership with more new companies with whom we have a common direction for the development of the region's economy.
Contact:
Address: Vratsa 3000, ul. "Colonel. "Ketkhudov" 2, fl. 2, office 1
Phone: 0897 46 71 35
E-mail: vracaisk@gmail.com
