The budget for professional education has increased fourfold since 2012. For the last ten years, the Georgian government spent GEL 200 million on vocational college development, said Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at the New Vision of Professional Development program presentation.

The PM said professional education development was the priority for the government, which held several meetings in the Economic Council format.

According to Irakli Garibashvili, 30 national and 45 private vocational colleges function in the country to “train qualified human capital.”

“We understand very well that over the background of strong economic development, it is particularly important to create highly qualified human resources and to ensure having professionals whose knowledge and skills fully comply with the needs of the employer and the private sector,” he said.

The PM urged the private sector to invest in professional education development.

“The government and business should join their efforts. I would also like to say that we are active in integrating professional education in schools, which will develop professional skills for children from school age, give them a specific profession, and after that, they will have the opportunity to decide for themselves whether to continue their studies at the level of higher education,” he said.

Irakli Garibashvili noted that the number of vacancies opened in different sectors had increased lately, stressing that professional education development would resolve unemployment and poverty problems.

“If we plan all these professions and programs correctly, we can say that employment will be 100 per cent guaranteed for all those who will enter the vocational college, graduate, and develop the skills,” said Irakli Garibashvili.