BRIDGE Public Works Program Helps Armenian Orphans Find Jobs
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Since May 23, Sos Chitikian, Haik Simonian and Sergey Melkonian have been working for Nigol Abrahamian, a Canadian Armenian active in residential development. These three also share a common background; they are all orphans, having lived most of their lives at the Zatik orphanage.
BRIDGE Public Works Program has been renovating public infrastructure and providing vocational training opportunities to unemployed throughout Armenia since 2005. Under its vocational training component, BRIDGE works mainly through vocational training institutions to train unemployed in basic construction skills, and then offer the opportunity to reinforce these skills during actual construction.
During a chance meeting with BRIDGE staff, Nigol Abrahamian indicated his intention to hire three orphans from the Zatik orphanage. To support this action, BRIDGE agreed to pay the salaries for these three unemployed youth for two months. In turn, Nigol would train them in basic construction skills during the actual construction of housing units just outside of Yerevan, and provide them a full-time job at the end of the internship. This partnership is a first for BRIDGE, in that the construction company with which BRIDGE is partnering is carrying out both the vocational training and the construction works.
At this beginning of their ‘apprenticeship program’, Sos, Haik and Sergey are currently gaining experience in various construction skills. Over the next few weeks, each will focus on a certain trade: already Varpet Karen teaches and guides Sos in tiling, Varpet Toros is responsible for Sergey in plumbing, while Varpet Hrach works with Haik on drywall.
This corporate motivation and social responsibility reflects the non-business considerations behind the decision of many diasporans to move to Armenia following independence. Over the past ten years, Nigol has supported other orphans from various orphanages, training them during the construction works and employing those who wanted to remain at his construction site.
Even during this time of crisis, these three have found not only short term employment, but are acquiring market-needed skills that will allow them to be competitive and successfully integrate into society. More importantly, they are gaining the confidence needed to make the difficult transition between orphanage and society.
