Invest Sofia Presented Data on Career Development and Labour Integration of Refugees at a Scientific Conference of Trakia University

Invest Sofia took part in the seventh edition of the international conference Business and Regional Development, organized by tTrakia University. At the invitation of the organizers, our Executive Director Ph.D. Maria Hristova presented opportunities for career orientation and internships in Sofia Municipality. She highlighted key career events and the active role of the business ecosystem in Sofia in joint programs with the academic community. 

The scientific conference was also by Ph.D. Joanna Dragneva, Chief Expert at the Investment Analysis Department at the Agency. She presented the report “Labour Integration of Refugees in a Socio-economic Perspective”. The results are based on Invest Sofia’s work on the Jobs in Sofia platform, which the Agency and the Sofia Municipality created days after the arrival of the first Ukrainian refugees in our country. 

The project is an example of an city initiative for early intervention in integrating newly arrived refugees into the labour market. In just three months since the launch of the platform, more than 540 inquiries from Ukrainians have been submitted and more than 20 Sofia-based companies have been involved. Nearly a third of the inquiries have resulted in finding a job through Jobs in Sofia.

The results show that similar tools increase the chance of refugees being hired, which reduces the likelihood of social exclusion. The impact of such programmes is immediate and lasting, and they can bring not only direct but also indirect benefits to refugees, to their labour integration in general, and to the economy. 

The International Scientific Conference “Business and Development of Regions” is held every two years on the initiative of the Faculty of Economics at Trakia University. The forum brings together researchers and gives the floor for fruitful discussions and scientific data aimed at academics, business representatives, local administrative and public authorities developing sectoral and regional policies at national and international level.