Western Balkan Facility, Serbia, Training Seminars

Training component in road construction for Serbia

The Western Balkan Facility of the European Investment Bank has provided a Grant for the provision of country wide seminars on the subjects of safety in construction and asphalt pavement construction procedures. 
During the past decade and later, Serbia’s road construction sector has been very inactive with the result that the skills and know-how of construction personnel, especially at foreman, semi skilled and skilled artisan levels have been depleted. Obvious training needs are presently exacerbated by the expected upturn in construction activity fostered by the EIB and EBRD loans. 
Public Enterprise “Roads of Serbia” has implemented a program for training groups of people from the industry through the participation of the local construction industry. A training component is conducted and undertaken by asphalt technology experts from the Belgrade University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Prof. A. Cvetanovic and Assistant B. Banic, while PERS provides the logistical inputs. 
A total of eight seminars of two day duration each were foreseen to be held at different localities in Serbia, in co-ordination with private construction companies which selected personnel to attend the seminars and be trained.

The following training seminars have already been held in towns listed below: 
• 21st -22nd April 2009; Belgrade, at the premises of Belgrade Public Utility Company for roads JKP “Beogradput” (67 participants),
• 05th -06th September 2009; Pančevo, at the premises of AD Vojvodinaput-„Pančevo“ (31 participants),
• 06th -07th November 2009; Zaječar, at the premises of Company for roads PZP “Zaječar” a.d. (43 participants),
• 09th -10th November 2009; Novi Sad, at the premises of Company for roads Vojvodinaput- “Bačkaput” a.d. (51 participants),
• 16th -17th November 2009; Mali Požarevac, at the premises of Company for maintenance of motorways “Srbijaautoput” d.o.o. (28 participants),
• 05th -06th December 2009; Užice, at the premises of the Company AD „Putevi“ Užice (35 participants),
• 11th – 12th December 2009; Belgrade, at the premises PE „Roads of Serbia“ (31 participants, intended for PERS Maintenance Supervision Personnel) and
• 20th -21st December 2009; Valjevo, at the premises of Company for roads „Valjevo“ a.d. (43 participants).

A total of 329 people attended the seminars.
Participants expressed high interest for the subject during the seminars. Fruitful detailed discussion was established after the trainings. Each participant received free of charge „Maintenance Handbook“ (380 pages in full color, authors prof. A. Cvetanovic, B. Banic) to be used by all foreman, semi skilled and skilled artisan levels involved in maintenance/construction of roads and motorways. 

Pictures taken during the seminars, attached.