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Currently, Brazil has approximately 461.5 thousand young learners
The Brazilian government intends to change the Young Learner program, established 21 years ago. The discussion revolves around removing the main point of the law, allowing spots for young people who are not in school. Additionally, there are projects proposing to relax the rule that requires companies to hire a quota of learners proportional to the number of employees and link remuneration to the minimum wage.
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Currently, Brazil has approximately 461.5 thousand young learners. Of the total, nearly half are in the manufacturing industry and commerce. Office helper or administrative assistant are the positions that young people occupy the most.
The Ministry of Labor explained that it established, in December 2021, a working group to define “improvement” projects for the program, along with representatives of employers and workers. According to the Ministry, the expectation for the end of the discussions is March.
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On the other hand, critics of the changes point out that the Young Learner program may be undermined, as entrepreneurs could eliminate available positions. “I am against this,” said Miguel Torres, president of Força Sindical. “Someone must be benefiting.”
How Young Learner Positions Work
The Learner Law, signed during the government of Fernando Henrique Cardoso at the end of 2000, stipulates that medium and large companies must provide positions for young people aged 14 to 24, with no age limit for those with disabilities. The quota of Young Learner positions varies between 5% and 15% of the workforce.
In a workday that should not exceed 6 hours daily, remuneration must be, at a minimum, equivalent to the minimum wage proportional to the hours worked, and contracts can last a maximum of 2 years. Another detail is that companies must contribute 2% of remuneration to the Severance Indemnity Fund (FGTS), not 8% as in regular contracts.
In addition to having a signed work card, the law requires enrollment and attendance of the young learner in school at least until the completion of Elementary Education. For those who have already completed the ninth grade, enrollment in a technical-professional course is required.
According to the Ministry of Labor, the changes to youth learning eliminate one of the main focuses of the Young Learner program, which is to eradicate school dropout and child labor. Ana Maria Villa Real, National Coordinator for Combating Child and Adolescent Labor Exploitation at the Public Ministry of Labor, emphasizes: “This is a very important issue for labor inspection, in the prevention and eradication of child labor. The apprenticeship program was created to ensure a protected childhood, with guaranteed education, income, and professional qualification.”
Criticizing specific issues, such as cutting basic level positions, prioritizing technical level spots, the prosecutor stated: “To meet certain economic interests, the group also aims to focus on hiring those over 18, subverting the original target audience of the program, which are the most vulnerable adolescents. What they want are luxury trainees or interns.”
Information from 2021 indicates that more than 60% of hired learners are minors. “If a company has problems with the Young Learner program, it means it has much bigger problems than that. The program is a solution to school dropout, violence, and unemployment,” said Humberto Casagrande, CEO of the Company-School Integration Center.
In recent years, this is the fourth time the Young Learner program has faced modifications. The first was during Michel Temer’s government, attempting to reduce its scope, while the other three occurred during Jair Bolsonaro’s government.
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