26 April

A vocational school is not just a place where civilization is nourished, knowledge is gained and competencies for a specific profession are acquired. It is also the place where students are prepared for their transition from school into the world of work as smoothly as possible. In Albania this is currently carried out by the Career Center, initially introduced at the ‘Skills for Jobs’ partner schools.  ‘Kolin Gjoka’ school became the first vocational secondary school in Albania offering career guidance services to its students. But what does this mean precisely?

Elona Kola, a first-year student at this school, studying Hospitality-Tourism, eagerly tells us about her experience. ‘Following the signing the collaboration agreements with businesses, the staff of the Career Center organized interviews with those businesses where we students could do our  apprenticeships. Previously, I had sent my CV and motivation letter to well-known companies in Lezha, where I wanted to go and learn to become a cook. After the interviews, I was lucky enough to be selected from the two businesses where I had applied’ explains Elona about starting her apprenticeship, a crucial element for anyone to get employed. 

 ‘The ‘Career Center’ is a new trend for our country,’ – begins her story Rudina Gjoka, Deputy Director of ‘Kolin Gjoka’ school and at the same time one of the five specialists of the ‘Career Center’. ‘We have taken on this new role very seriously. After the training provided by the ‘Skills for Jobs’ on how such a center works, we divided the tasks among each other. First, we met with parents to help them understand the dynamics of apprenticeships in businesses.  Upon receiving their consent, we organized interviews with partner businesses to select students based on their application and introduction. Then, we went on with the organization of the apprenticeships, initially for the Hospitality-Tourism profile. For all the students of this profile is already arranged an apprenticeship place. We are very confident that for the dedicated students, there are real employment chances,’ she says proudly. 

Rudina Gjoka says that the Carrier Center staff is closely following up on the progress of apprenticeships taking place in resorts, hotels, or restaurants of the area where students learn while working. Some of our students are lucky enough to learn from the most famous chefs of the traditional and fusion cuisine in the country, such as Altin Prenga and Alfred Marku.

But the Career Center staff does not stop there. The promotion of ‘Kolin Gjoka’ school to the 9th graders, parents and the whole Lezha community is under preparation, in order to welcome as many students as possible next academic year. Also, partner companies are being identified for other profiles. 

‘Skills for Jobs’, a project mandated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Swisscontact Albania, is supporting opening of Career Centers in Vlora and Berat as well. Meanwhile, the staff of these schools is trained on business relations, promotion of vocational schools and organization and monitoring of apprenticeships. Interpreting business skills needs analysis as well as tracing VET students after their graduation are also responsibilities of the Career Center.

And this is only the beginning!