The Bulgarian Employment Agency (BEA) is the public provider responsible for implementing employment policies, vocational training, and labor market integration at the local level. In Sofia city there are 10 regional division of the agency called “Bureaus of Labor” (Бюро по труда) working directly with the citizens. Their function is to register individuals actively seeking employment, provide information, provide professional and motivation training, etc. Additionally, vocational education and training (VET) outside traditional school programs is organized by the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training (Национална агенция за професионално образование и обучение, NAVET).
The BEA and NAVET collect data on:
- Unemployed citizens actively seeking jobs. Socio-demographic variables such as gender, education, age, location. etc.
- Job vacancies from the private sector. It contains job description, location, work hours, type of contract, etc.
- Vocational training centres. It provides information about every education center in the country. It includes names, addresses, courses in which professional field they provide, etc.
The BEA and NAVET collaborate closely with local and regional stakeholders to align their initiatives with Sofia’s strategic sectors, such as IT, energy efficiency, and green technologies. Through professional and motivational training, these institutions prepare the workforce to meet the demands of these industries. They also collaborate with The Bulgarian Industrial Association – Union of the Bulgarian Business (BIA).