As part of the EMERALD project, free training for third-country nationals who want to retrain for professions related to the green transition began in June 2026. Two micro-qualification programs were offered: “Organic Vegetable Growing” (120 hours, a combination of theoretical classes and practical work at the Ambitio College, the Agricultural School Zagreb , the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb and at the OPG Novak) and “Photovoltaic System Installation” (170 hours, theoretical and practical classes at the Electrical Engineering School in Zagreb).
During the training, we monitor the progress and engagement of the participants, to ensure that the programs meet the real needs of the labor market, but also of the participants themselves. The feedback so far has been extremely positive, the participants are very satisfied with the content and approach of the training, the interest is high, and many have already asked us when new activities will be organized, although the current training cycle has not yet been completed.
Green retraining of the workforce is one of the key prerequisites for a successful green transition. As the economy shifts to more sustainable models of production and consumption, new jobs are being created in sectors such as renewable energy and organic agriculture, while skill requirements in existing occupations are also changing. For foreign workers, who often come to a new environment without formally recognized qualifications or with skills that need to be adapted to the local labor market, such programs represent an opportunity for faster and better integration into the work environment, while at the same time they strengthen green competencies that are increasingly in demand.
