The newly appointed Minister of Welfare, Reinis Uzulnieks (ZZS), intends to place greater emphasis on addressing employment challenges compared to his predecessor, Uldis Augulis (ZZS), he stated in an interview with Latvian Television’s “Rīta Panorāma” programme.
He highlighted that Latvia is currently facing a labour shortage, but the State Employment Agency (NVA) offers several promising programmes. These initiatives should focus more on solving mobility issues and promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
The new minister also noted that the summer employment programme for students increasingly includes vacancies with “added value.” This means that during their vacation, students can work not only in low-skilled physical jobs but also in fields such as programming.
Uzulnieks aims to further develop an approach where companies needing workers with specific skills can inform the NVA about their requirements, allowing the agency to prepare the workforce accordingly.
The politician emphasized that while much is said about emigration, it is crucial to make use of the workforce that remains in Latvia.
Regarding the return of emigrated Latvians, Uzulnieks stated that this will happen when the country’s economy develops—when people feel secure, knowing they have well-paid jobs, access to education for their children, and reliable healthcare and social services.
As previously reported, the Saeima approved three new ministers last week, including Uzulnieks.
On the 21st of February, in an effort to “restart” her government, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa dismissed Minister of Transport Kaspars Briškens (P), Minister of Education Anda Čakša (JV), and Minister of Welfare Uldis Augulis. They officially stepped down on the 26th of February.