Skills for Jobs supports partner VET providers for quality teaching that integrates new ways of learning, in terms of:

• Use of technology in learning;
• Teachers’ continuous professional development;
• Planning and monitoring the learning process.

Technology in Education

New learning methods involve the use of technology and the combination of face-to-face learning with online learning (blended learning). These methods put the student at the center of the process, increasing their commitment, satisfaction and accountability for the learning process. To enable contemporary methods of learning, S4J supports its partner institutions with physical and digital infrastructure, as well as facilitates the development of digital competencies of the academic staff through training by relevant industries.

To support and promote online learning in vocational schools, S4J developed MesoVET platform.

It serves as an all-inclusive solution and enables the documentation of activities for both classroom-based and distance learning of the students and apprentices. To sign up, all you need is an email address. During physical distancing due to COVID-19, teachers and students were supported in the following ways:

• MesoVET was quickly enriched with materials and was made available to all VET institutions in Albania;
• Teachers from partner and non-partner schools attended webinars on developing digital skills and producing quality digital materials;
• Manuals and instructional videos on how to use of the platform were offered;
• MesoVET came to the aid of the students on their last year of the studies with preparatory courses for their Matura exams;
• Three reports were prepared until now, based on the findings of the surveys conducted with teachers and students on how the distance learning is working.

Teachers Continuous Professional Development

The labour market is rapidly changing and is increasingly gearing towards digitalization. For vocational education to keep up with these trends, teachers must embrace modern teaching techniques guided by the private sector. To this end, S4J supports partner providers with training and workshops delivered by the industry front-runners as well as capacity building of the Continuous Professional Development Coordinator in the Development Unit.

Planning and Monitoring the Education Process

‘Skills for Jobs’ supports partner institutions in drafting, assessing and monitoring their annual education plans, with:

• Training for a smooth running of the process, provided to school teachers and managers;
• Reports and recommendations prepared for each institution aiming at increasing the quality of the education process;
• Training on how to monitor the implementation of education plans;
• Development, validation and piloting of instruments and processes to be used for monitoring annual education plans, including apprenticeships.