Presentation of selected projects co-financed by European Funds

The photo shows Jakub Chełstowski, Marshal of the Silesia Voivodeship. Only the chest of a man in a suit is visible. His hair is combed to the side.

Dear Readers,

Silesia is opening up to its residents, their needs and expectations. The region not only invests in infrastructure development, takes care of cultural heritage, but also strongly supports social and professional activity of its inhabitants. The developmental successes that our voivodeship has achieved in recent years are the result of, among others, well-spent European Funds. Many of these positive changes would not have been possible if the implementation of infrastructure projects had not been accompanied by the genuine involvement of the residents, who are the strength and wealth of our region.

They are active, creative, entrepreneurial. Many have changed their lives thanks to the support of the Regional Operational Programme of the Silesia Voivodeship and the Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development. EU funds have allowed them to improve their professional skills, retrain, and set up businesses as well as helped young people entering the labor market to acquire essential work experience. Silesian entrepreneurs have developed their companies dynamically by investing in the competence of their staff.

In this album we present the stories of Silesian residents, who took up the challenge and achieved their goals. Their stories perfectly reflect the possibilities of European programs. I hope they will be an inspiration and encouragement to boldly reach for grants, which can be the beginning o f a new and interesting career path.

Enjoy these incredibly optimistic and inspiring stories.

Jakub Chełstowski
Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship

Dear Readers,

today’s job market requires all of us to constantly improve our competencies, adapt to its growing demands, and often retrain. Well-planned professional development has many benefits. Not only in the form of an attractive salary or promotion, but also in the form of independence, fulfillment, and the last but no t the least, job satisfaction.

European funds make it easier to navigate the job market and find one’s own career path. They also support personal growth. Professional trainings and courses, workshops and social skills trainings, counseling and internships, grants for starting business activity are just the examples.

The European Union has also been actively helping entrepreneurs for years. With a flexible development services system, they can invest in their staff offering them training tailored to their needs. And properly qualified staff allows companies to stay one step ahead of the competition. This is important especially under the current challenges of a responsible transition to a green economy. Innovation, competitiveness, strong local entrepreneurship – these are the strategic objectives of the Silesian Voivodeship, which require adequately prepared human resources.

People presented in this album have taken advantage of the opportunity offered by the European Union and proved that well-planned support brings results. They pursued their dreams with energy and determination, and eventually succeeded. This proves that European Funds bring a real opportunity to change professional lives, as well as a chance for companies to grow.

Enjoy reading!

Grzegorz Sikorski
Director of the Voivodeship Employment Office in Katowice

The Regional Operational Programme Of The Silesia Voivodeship For 2014-2020

The infographic, titled Regional Operational Programme of the Silesian Voivodeship 2014-2020, consists of two parts and takes the form of a path marked by a line. The first part consists of two paths. The first one starts in the lower right corner, with the point: Training and consulting for companies. It then runs upwards and curves to the left, where it reaches the point: More than 58 800 people who have gained new qualifications or competencies. Then it runs further to the left to turn 180 degrees and hit the point: the Talue of signed contracts for 528 million PLN. The second path starts at the bottom, at the point: Vocational, computer and language training. The it turns left, to the point: More than 71 400 people attending training. Then it runs left and down and ends with a point: Value of signed contracts 327 million PLN. The second part again consists of two paths. The first one starts in the lower left corner, with the point: Professional activation It then runs upward, turns right, where it reaches the point: More than 54,300 people supported. It then goes further to the right, where it reaches the point: The value of signed contracts for 1, 092 billion PLN. The second path begins in the lower, middle section, with a point: grants to start one’s own business. It then runs upwards and curves to the right, where it hits the point: More than 10,400 people who have received non-refundable business start-up funds, and after a while it ends.

The photograph shows Luiza Hornik. The woman with long blond hair is elegantly dressed. She is standing in the double doors and smiling.

The profit and loss account

Loosing one’s job can be one o f the most traumatic life experiences. But the final profits and losses balance of such a situation depends to a very large extent, on us. Thanks to projects funded by the European Union, it becomes possible to pass smoothly through this critical professional period. Read the story of Luiza Hornik.

The photograph shows Marcin Wojcik. The man, with a short haircut, wearing a blue shirt, is sitting at a desk with a monitor and a telephone.

The digital dimension of business

Courage, passion and creativity – these are crucial qualities of future entrepreneurs. Marcin Wójcik has all of them and one day he decided to go all or nothing and open a web design company. He fulfilled his professional goals with the help of “ICT Competence Academy – Business Incubator” project.

The photograph shows Ewa Broja. The woman with dark hair pinned back is touching the colorful flowers and butterflies cut out of paper that hang from the ceiling.

The world’s greatest profession

“Find a job you like and you’ll extend your week by five days”, that’s what an American writer Harriett Jackson Brown Jr used to say. Ewa Broja, who changed her stressful job as an electro-radiologist to that of a nursery worker, decided to take a similar approach. Today she can say she really enjoys her job.

The photograph shows Krzysztof Sojka. The bald man with stubble and glasses is standing in a school gym. He is wearing sport clothes and holds a basketball in his hands.

It was worth it

Every active minute is a good minute, Krzysztof Sojka likes to say. He is a PE teacher, actor, dancer and fitness instructor, living and working in Gliwice. Although he’s terribly busy, he found the time and motivation to empower his professional position in the very midst if a pandemic. He improved his language and digital skills.

The photograph shows Rafał Dragon. The man is wearing a black cap and yellow service vest. He’s sitting behind the wheel of a forklift.

Looking for your own path

There are times when even qualifications and experience will not help you find a job. A slip? A failure? Or maybe just bad luck? It’s not always worth analyzing the cause. One thing is certain: it’s up to you whether a difficult experience pushes you into action or cuts you down.

The photograph shows Sylwia Krębuszewska-Kozieł. The red-haired woman in a white apron is packing a doughnut into a paper bag. There are baked goods behind her back.

Sweet success

No modern business is possible without training. All entrepreneurs who try to raise the qualifications of their staff in the era of labor deficit are perfectly aware of that. Staying ahead of market trends, or at least keeping “up- -to-date” determines how quickly companies grow and take their positions on the market.

The photograph shows Małgorzata Czerwonka. The woman with dark hair is wearing glasses and sports clothes. She has boxing gloves she’s keeping her guard up. She is smiling.

Do what you love

Jump up, down, push-up, squat... In Holibody workout room you can expect a good sweat. But it is so worth it and highly beneficial for your health and physical fitnesss. Małgorzata Czerwonka has been professionally involved in training and nutrition counseling for two years. She used the support offered by the “Activation of the unemployed aged 30+”.

The photograph shows Tadeusz Szymanek. The man has gray hair and a mustache He is wearing a white shirt and glasses and he is standing in a workshop.

All hands on deck

The pandemic has given many companies a crash course in survival. If they wanted to stay alive, they had to think outside the box, look for new solutions and adapt quickly to the constantly changing situation. Those who were urgently looking for new options could use European Union funds to subsidize courses and training available in the Database of Development Services.

The photograph shows Jolanta Tomalak. The woman has short, dark hair and she’s wearing glasses. She is standing behind the counter with a tailor's tape measure hanging around her neck. A multitude of complex fabrics are visible behind her.

Step by step... to gain new qualifications

If we are only determined, we can make our professional dreams come true and be successful. Jolanta Tomalak found out that this cliche can actually be true. When she gave up a safe but unrewarding position, she didn’t give up. With the support of the project “Gain new professional qualifications!” she completed a tailoring course and began a new professional adventure.

Operational Programme Knowledge Education and Development 2014-2020

The infographic with the title Operational Program Knowledge Education Development 2014-2020 consists of one part and takes the form of a path marked by a line. It starts on the left with a point: Job placement, training and counseling, internships, subsidized employment, business start-up grants. Then it runs to the right and gets to the point: Over 65,500 people up to age 29 supported. Then it takes a 180-degree turn and reaches the point: More than 18,300 long-term unemployed people supported. It continues to the left, reaching the point: More than 10,200 people who have achieved a qualification or competency. It turns and flies down to a point: Nearly 9,400 grants for people up to age 29 to start their own businesses. It runs right up to the point: Over 2,100 people with disabilities supported. After a while it ends with the last point: 1, 024 billion PLN value of signed contracts.

The photograph shows Ewelina Wojtas. A woman with long, curly blonde hair sits cross-legged, holding a laptop in her lap. There is a skateboard behind her.

A completely new perspective

Many young people tend to make various mistakes at the beginning of their professional career. Some can be easily corrected, others can affect their professional career for years, directing them to a random path. Economists are warning that in the future it will not be a lack of jobs.

The photograph shows Michał Kurka. The man wearing a gray T-shirt, cap and dark glasses is sitting next to the film equipment. He is turning to the photographer, smiling, and showing a raised thumb.

An efficient business

Many people dream about running their own business. However, not everyone has the capital to start and the determination o stay ahead of the competition, rather than chasing it. They usually have never-ending excuses. But none of them were ever mentioned by Michał Kurka, a participant of the project.

The photograph shows Angelika Fijał. The woman with light hair is sitting behind her manicure table. She is wearing a blue apron and gloves. She is smiling.

Look boldly into the future

Angelika Fijał has long worked in a position that did not bring her satisfaction. However, she lacked the courage and motivation to change. And maybe a small impulse that would push her in the right direction. It came with an EU project. Today, she pursues her career and encourages others to look boldly into the future as well.