Demir razor sharp after audit on career checks: “Money sticks to a pipeline”
People who doubt whether their career is still on the right track can talk to a recognized career coach with support from the Flemish government. Since the creation of the system in 2013, more than 200,000 Flemish people have been using it. For a package of four times an hour you pay 45 euros, the Flemish government adds almost 700 euros.
In March, Demir announced that she wants to save on those checks. She limited the number of career checks to a thousand a month, which led to a rush – they were sold out in six minutes. Demir also ordered an audit from the Finance Inspectorate. « The system needs to be more targeted and more cost -efficient and that is only possible by continuing with the coarse brush, » it sounded then.
The audit was presented on Wednesday in the Commission of the Flemish Parliament. With some delay, because « we had a hard time insight into our own tax money, » says Demir. « But I can tell you: it is not good. The way we deal with our tax money is not good. With apologies to the taxpayer. »
The report, which our editors could view, is critical of the existing system. Especially the career centers, which bring the searching employees into contact with the right career coach, receive strong criticism. « It is recommended to reconsider the current system, » the report sounds.
The audit shows that a real business has grown around the career checks, in which some companies divide the majority of the cake among themselves. « That 22 million euros was spread over 251 legal persons, the market share of 42 companies was 80 percent, » says the report.
Paving -shut
« Seven of those centers together even gathered 7.5 million euros in subsidies, » says Demir. This is also apparent from the audit, which highlighted accounting for nine companies. Of their income amount, only two thirds went to the career guidance itself, at one company the career guidance even made only 50% of the costs.
« In certain centers, the costs for internal staff and administrative support are negligible in relation to the total costs, » says the report. « That may indicate a minimal own operational input in guidance, which indicates the role of the centers as ‘transmission’ for subcontractors. »
« Up to half of all subsidy money, sticking to the ‘transit hatch’, » says Flemish minister Demir. « This system is in urgent need of reform. It is incredible that no one has ever asked themselves about these amounts. »
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Reform
Due to the earlier measure of a thousand checks per month, government spending would already fall from 20 million to 10 million euros. The audit proposes to save by subsidizing individual coaches directly, by writing a public contract or by having end users sign a direct contract with a career coach.
Before the summer recess, Demir wants to go to the government with a proposal to reform the system. « I think it is very good that people think about their career, but it is not possible that it is cheaper than when you go to a psychologist or go to a psychiatrist with certain problems, » she said earlier in parliament. « That is a whole business that originated there. The question is whether the person who requests it is helped in the best way. We have to get the cowboys out of it. »
