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This book presents the results of a pilot study testing the applicability of selected elements of the Swedish approach to labour market monitoring in selected local labour markets and its implementation in terms of selected contact centres of the Czech Employment Office in the South Moravian Region. This study which was put together under the project "Active Matching: Strategic Consultancy Support in the Labour Market" aims to answer the question whether an approach based on qualitative analysis of the employers’ requirements on the labour force is applicable in the circumstances of the Czech Employment Office and whether it improves its efficiency.

The pilot study verified the possibility of implementing an adapted Swedish methodology on the Czech labour market and confirmed the possibility of collecting data from the employers in the required structure (combination of qualification, skill and competency requirements). It clearly showed that employees of the Employment Office are prepared and competent enough to collect data on the labour market and the demand for labour force through interviews conducted with representatives of employers. The limit for the implementation of targeted extensive monitoring is however the current organizational capacity of the Czech Employment Office. Also subsequent work with the information obtained through the monitoring and specific matching of supply and demand in the labour market faces certain restrictions, especially on the high number of applicants per one clerk, and lack of information system support.

Important benefits of the evaluated programme include not only the information obtained from interviews with employers, but also the process itself, which brings self-improvement of the public employment services staff, independent learning in collecting the data, and development of the Employment Office as a learning organization that is able to change its preconceived practices through knowledge gained from the interaction with employers. An equally important aspect includes building cooperation and partnerships between the public employment services and employers.