Questions/Answers

In the District of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, as well as in most Brazilian Districts, the highest record of homicides is among young people aged 15 and 24 who are involved with drugs. The unemployment rate in this portion of the population reached 34% in 2018, with 15.8% of them neither studying nor working, thus becoming even more susceptible to poverty. In order to change this reality and promote professional training and income for them, it was created in 2018 the Jaboatão Aprendiz (Jaboatão Apprentice) Program which has the main goal of promoting the first job to adolescents and young people between 14 and 24 years old, as apprentices. The program prioritizes the most vulnerable, namely: those who are fulfilling a socio-educational measure (in conflict with the law), those who live in shelter homes (away from family), those who have been rescued from a degrading situation such as child labor and those with disabilities. To this end, the program works on two fronts: Hiring apprentices in vulnerable situations to work for district management and welcoming into the City Hall's administration, apprentices of “alternative quota”, hired by companies that carry out risky activities which is why it is impossible for the apprentice to remain at their facilities; Meet all requirements provided for in the Federal Apprenticeship Law which ensures the right of adolescents and young people into the work market through quotas at medium and large companies, varying between 5% and 15% of their workforce. By promoting the inclusion of adolescents and young people into the work market, the program promotes: Equal opportunity for the most vulnerable; Social and economic inclusion; Unemployment and violence reduction; Digital inclusion; Degree of education increase and reduced dropout; Life quality for beneficiaries and family members; Protected professional training, contributing to the elimination of child labor.

The Jaboatão Aprendiz Program provides to teenagers and young people access to their first professional experience, prioritizing the most vulnerable and living in poverty. It reduces school dropout, as well as helps in social and digital integration, also providing vocational education. It works as a link, either by connecting District Secretariats related to the initiative, or by interconnecting other partners to expand hiring through Federal Law. By promoting employment, income, and education, it removes young people from violence and reduces inequalities, aligning to Category 1, since it promotes an inclusive service, improves the life quality and education for its beneficiaries.

To be part of this program, young people and adolescents need to be enrolled and attending school, which avoids dropping out and increases education level. Once hired as an apprentice, the young one receives technical and professional training given by the training entities, covering topics related to the work world, such as: Mathematical Logical Reasoning, Information & Communication Technology, Entrepreneurship, Social & Environmental Responsibility, Gender Inequality & Respect for Sexual Diversity, among others. These actions are correlated with SDG 4, especially with goals 4.4 and 4.5, as it promotes employability and professional qualification to vulnerable adolescents and young people, including people with disabilities, stimulating technical skills and expanding the possibility of staying in the work market. It is also related to SDG 8 and goals 8.6 and 8.7, once it aims to contribute to reducing the unemployment and violence rate among adolescents and young people, as well as child labor eradication, promoting protected and guaranteed labor rights. Finally, it works towards goals 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 of SDG 10 by empowering and promoting the social and economic inclusion of the most vulnerable, thus reducing inequalities.

The initiative is socially sustainable because it provides apprentices with access to protected work and professional technical training, generating inclusion and income for the most vulnerable. It is economically and environmentally sustainable because it involves planning, without the need to consume natural resources and with low investment, less than 0.2% of the Secretariat's budget. But to strengthen the initiative and guarantee employment and income opportunities for this and the next generations, a Law was drafted, submitted to the City Council, institutionalizing the Apprentice Program which will be a legal framework for the District’s public sector.

According to data from the Institute of Applied Economic Research - IPEA, in 2018 the number of homicides among young people between 15 and 24 y.o. in Jaboatão dos Guararapes was 125 which represents 39% of the total recorded that year. In the same age group, the unemployment rate is 34% and of these, 15.8% do not study or work. Even after 20 years of the Apprenticeship Law creation, the data still reflects a historical barrier that young people face to enter the work market, either due to lack of experience or low education level. This situation becomes even more critical for those who are in a situation of social vulnerability. According to the Regional Labor Superintendency of Pernambuco, in 2018 the deficit in hiring apprentices by companies, in breach of the Law of Apprenticeship, was 1,113. Motivated by this scenario, which leads to the creation of public policies and mitigation initiatives, the District created the Jaboatão Aprendiz Program, which articulates and promotes the inclusion of vulnerable adolescents and young people into the work market. Hence, Jaboatão became the first District in the state of Pernambuco to hire apprentices in situations of social vulnerability, encouraging other City Halls reduce inequality.

The gender division of labor is an obstacle to equal opportunities for women who are hampered by lower wages and more precarious jobs. In this context, the program addresses gender inequality and respect for gender diversity in technical and professional training. As for the beneficiaries, there is a male predominance among those who conflicted with the Law, reflecting the Brazilian patriarchal culture, which associated with other socioeconomic conditions, imply greater involvement of men in violent situations. Thus, the Program promotes the fight against violence, gender inequality reduction and construction of a healthier masculinity.

The Program's targets are adolescents and young people in a situation of social vulnerability and living in poverty, aged 14 to 24 y.o. and, residents in the District. Beneficiaries may come from childcare services to adolescents in protective measures, as a result of a violation of their rights, such as abandonment, violence or the impossibility of family care; adolescents who fulfill some socio-educational measure in an open environment for having committed an infraction and being in conflict with the law; teenagers who were rescued from degrading child labor and people with disabilities. The inclusion of this priority audience in Jaboatão Aprendiz guaranteed an income, strengthened the family's emotional bond and self-esteem, promoted re-socialization, in addition to the getting back into school life and introduction of professional technical knowledge, expanding work horizon. It also helped young people to successfully fulfill the socio-educational measure, since it strengthened citizenship and encouraged less consumption of psychoactive substances, avoiding recurrence in crime. By providing work to young people with disabilities, it had a strong impact on their living conditions from the perspective of social inclusion, overcoming limits, and perceiving themselves as autonomous and productive human beings.

In March 2018, before the data released on unemployment and violence among 14 and 24 y.o., the District Department of Labor, Training & Entrepreneurship initiated a study on the number of young people and adolescents in situations of social vulnerability, in order to seek alternatives to reverse the situation. As of then, the problem was taken to the District Secretaries who interface with the theme: Education, Health, Social Assistance. In September 2018, the Jaboatão Aprendiz Program was implemented to articulate and guarantee the hiring of vulnerable young people in district management. The initiative also brought to the District the responsibility of uniting the executive and judiciary powers, civil society and the private sector to transform this reality and enforce the Law of Apprenticeship a sustainable way to reverse violence and reduce social inequalities. The program gained prominence and its creators were invited to participate in the State Learning Forum - FORAP/PE, where they were able to disclose the program. With the data on deficit in hiring apprentices by companies, other actions were implemented in 2019 in addition to internal assessments. Which includes: (a) Conducting awareness seminars with notified District companies in partnership with the Federal and Judicial Executive Powers; (b) Creation of the District Apprentice Day uniting companies and young people, to encourage hiring; (c) Creation Company Apprentice Friendly seal, granted to those in accordance with the Law; (d) Partnership Terms Signature for the Alternative Quota provided for by law which deals with the absorption, in the district management, of vulnerable young people hired by companies that claim it is impossible to receive them due to the nature of the service they provide; (e) District Decree Signature nº49/2019, which establishes the duty for management service providers to comply with the minimum quota for hiring apprentices established by the Apprenticeship Law.

The main obstacles faced were: (i) difficulty in including adolescents and young people into the work market, especially the most vulnerable; (ii) most companies only comply with the law upon notification from inspection bodies and, (iii) the companies consider hiring this public as a cost and do not take into consideration the social benefits that are behind such hiring. The process of overcoming these obstacles is continuous as it is a historical problem, however, we have strengthened partnerships with the Judiciary and Federal Executive Powers, aiming at permanent awareness actions with companies to expand the apprentices' hiring.

Jaboatão is the only City Hall in the State of Pernambuco that has an Apprenticeship Program with actual vulnerable apprentices hired. It has been sensitizing other government agencies to participate in the training of these young people. It innovated by creating the Company Apprentice Friendly seal and by sanctioning Decree nº 49/2019. The program was rewarded with PRO certification, "Companies/Entities that contribute to protect, promote and train adolescents/young people who have left child labor in Pernambuco", never granted to a City Hall before.

There is no similar initiative in the State of Pernambuco and the Northeast region. In research on the topic, it was possible to observe that many Districts expect medium and large-sized private companies to hire apprentices, as defined by law, and that the inspection bodies - Department of Economy or the Judiciary play their roles. However, it is necessary to do more, set an example, articulate to make hiring possible by involving the parties, promoting lectures that highlights the social role of this initiative and its impact on the beneficiaries and their families' lives. That's why Jaboatão Aprendiz is innovative.

To initiate the hiring of apprentices, the initiative uses digital platforms: District Employment Agency and Single Registry for Social Programs. The expansion of the Program also stimulated technological innovation for inspection agencies, making the notification process faster for companies with a deficit in hiring apprentices, as these were carried out physically and are currently carried out electronically. In the year 2020, while facing the COVID-19 pandemic, technological tools such as Zoom, and Google Meet were implemented to continue the theoretical training and remote work of City Hall apprentices.

Since its creation, Jaboatão Aprendiz has been inspiring state public bodies and the State Learning Forum - FORAP / PE - under the responsibility of the Department of Economy - which from 2019, instituted, in its calendar of activities, public awareness hearings with companies, such as those hearings that take place in Jaboatão, in several other Districts of Pernambuco. The goal is to increase the hiring of apprentices and reinforce the relevant social aspect of this initiative, which generates inclusion and reduces violence, transforming lives.The District Decree No. 49/2019 establishes that direct and indirect administration service providers present on their staff a minimum number of apprentices, as determined by the Law of Apprenticeship, has also been the object of analysis by many other Districts of Pernambuco. The capital Recife, as well as Caruaru, Paulista and Abreu e Lima have already sought district management to create similar legislation, supporting the hiring of apprentices. The aforementioned Decree was the subject of a Public Hearing at the State Legislative Assembly where the Regional Labor Superintendency of Pernambuco - linked to the Department of Economy - proposed the regulation of a Law Project that would cover this matter for the entire State.

The program has the potential to be transferred and adapted to any State or District, hence it has low cost, in addition to generating a great social impact and promoting public policy for the generation of work, employment and income for young people. Most City Halls from Brazil and worldwide have social assistant professionals and can access the list of young people and adolescents in vulnerable situations. It is also common in district administration, and in almost all public departments, administrative activities, which most young people prefer, requiring only that any professional/civil servant in this area become a mentor for the apprentice, making feasible the inclusion of young people and adolescents in situation of vulnerability in some sectors of public administration. In addition, an apprentice's financial cost is low compared to the enormous social benefit it represents for him and his family. The initiative was even the subject of a meeting at the District Association of Pernambuco - AMUPE, presented by the Regional Superintendency of Labor of Pernambuco, encouraging other Districts to implement Apprenticeship Programs. The necessary articulation to enforce the Federal Law of Apprenticeship is an aspect that basically involves political will and the structuring of a partnership network.

The initiative used its own resources from the District Treasury, with an average annual amount of R$ 282,240.00, equivalent to U$ 53,852, considering the exchange rate of R$ 5.24 per U$ 1.00, which represents approximately 0.2% of the Secretariat's annual budget in which the program is allocated. The financial resource was applied to cover the technical-professional training and the apprentices' salary. Regarding human resources, several district management professionals, who work in the areas of labor, health, education and social assistance, participate in this program and guarantee a comprehensive apprentice monitoring, but all within their duties, not representing an additional cost.

The Program was submitted to the City Council through a Law Project in progress to be approved, aiming at its continuity as a public policy of the State. It is economically sustainable because it is low cost, representing only 0.2% of the annual budget of the District Secretariat. It is financed with its own resources guaranteed by the Annual Budget Law - LOA, prepared by the Executive Power, with the duty to establish revenues and expenses for each year. This Law contains expenses planning which defines services that are a priority for the District, taking into consideration the available resources.

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The program is assessed internally by the team who runs it. This occurs monthly to monitor the apprentice performance in the district management, adapting when necessary, some assignments according to their skills. Annual internal assessments are also made to monitor the number of vulnerable people directly hired and those welcomed by the alternative quota, the apprentice development at school and training, in addition to District companies not hiring. Externally, the program is informally assessed by partners of the Judiciary and Federal Executive, who have consistently recommended it over the years to other Districts as a sign of approval.

For the program's assessment, it is considered the indicators: 1. Number of vulnerable apprentices hired directly by the district management; 2. Number of vulnerable apprentices welcomed by the alternative quota provided for in Federal Law; 3. District companies not hiring that are notified with a profile to meet the Law of Apprenticeship; For apprentices who work in district management, the dropout percentage and the dropout rate are also analyzed. The indicators are part of the Program's Annual Assessment Report that is presented to the Mayor and other District Secretaries, in addition to external partners.

We understand that the program has been essential for apprentices in vulnerable situations and has great growth potential. It is challenging, given the structural resistance of the work market to accept young people without professional experience, especially the vulnerable. If has significantly developed over the years, recording an increase of 115% in direct hiring of apprentices compared to 2018, with numbers recorded between January and October of 2020, despite the pandemic. In the same period, there was an increase of 134% of apprentices accepted by the alternative quota - those hired by companies that carry out their practical activities in the City Hall, all of whom are socially vulnerable. The partnership with inspection agencies reduced the hiring deficit by the companies in the District. In 2019, the notified companies had a deficit of 925 jobs, reducing in 2020 to 472 by ensuring the inclusion of 453 young people in the work market. Of the indirect impacts resulting from hiring, it is possible to mention: social inclusion for vulnerable apprentices, increase in family income and bond strengthening - in some cases the apprentice's salary is the only family income, removing young people from violence and crime and increasing self-esteem.

The program develops an integrated work, preserving intersectionality, involving three spheres of society: public power, private sector and third-party sector (training companies), which is essential to ensure the full monitoring of young beneficiaries. Internally, it works horizontally interfacing with the public policies of Labor, Health, Education, Social Assistance and Youth. The social assistance role is to identify and recommend adolescents and young people in situation of vulnerability to the Secretariat of Labor, who then directs them to the program's selective hiring processes and at the end of the apprentice's contract, they are supported by the District's Employment Agency for new job opportunities. In all institutions, whether public or private, each apprentice is assisted daily by a supervisor. This professional monitor the apprentice's work and points out, if necessary, a follow up in the areas of health, education, and youth. Vertically, the Judiciary Power and the Federal Executive Power act in partnership to raise awareness, inspection and assessment of companies that are in breach of the Federal Apprenticeship Law. At the state level, there is direct interaction with the State Learning Forum - FORAP/PE, a place for social articulation in which public policies related to this theme are discussed.

Since its implementation, Jaboatão Aprendiz has consolidated important institutional partnerships, such as the Public Labor Department, the Regional Labor Superintendency and the Court of Justice of Pernambuco, in addition to the Child and Youth Court of Jaboatão dos Guararapes/PE District, State Learning Forum - FORAP/PE and District companies. Partnerships with the Judiciary and private sector are essential to ensure that the goals are achieved, but it is known that all public power spheres and civil society must be engaged to achieve the major goal, which is the reduction of socio-economic inequalities, focusing on the poorest and most vulnerable adolescents and young people. At this matter, the program is supported by the District Social Assistance, Education, Health and Youth Secretariats, aiming at the full monitoring of the beneficiaries and the monitoring of the progress achieved. The Executive and Judiciary Powers, after partnering with the program, began to promote awareness hearings with companies and other City Halls, highlighting the relevance of implementing similar initiatives in their institutions. The action also aims to awaken the private sector to its social responsibility and the transformation role it can play in compliance with the Law of Apprenticeship.

There were countless lessons learned during the planning and execution of the program, among which we highlight: I. The networking importance in an integrated and intersectoral way with public policies for Labor, Health, Education, Social Assistance and Youth, as well as with Federal agencies of the Executive and Judiciary Powers, which constituted a strategy to expand opportunities for adolescents and young people; II. Overcoming the historical inequality barriers. The Law itself is not enough, it is essential to raise awareness, so companies perceive themselves as social transformation agents and don’t consider the legal obligation of hiring apprentices as a punishment; III. For some companies, including City Hall bodies, there is still a need to break paradigms regarding prejudice, and especially among the most vulnerable. This is a daily exercise in otherness, which requires time to be overcome; IV. For some learners who are in vulnerability, it is of utmost importance a more individual and close monitoring, so that their limitations do not make them give up. To ensure continuity and improvements to this public policy, the Executive Labor Secretariat submitted a Draft Law to the City Council, foreseeing an expansion and, enabling direct hiring for up to 100 apprentices.