What We Do
‘Skills for Jobs’ (S4J) is a Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) project implemented in Albania by Swisscontact. The main project aim is to upgrade vocational education and training (VET) in Albania through digitalization, modernization and inclusiveness.
The project is in its Phase 3, the consolidation and transfer phase, and the primary focus will be the development, consolidation, and transfer of six key innovation objects:
- Digitalization of VET Offer
- Improvement of Internal Processes and Structures
- Continuous Professional Development Models
- Business Relations and Networks
- Quality of Work-based Learning in Companies
- Diversification of Offer and Upskilling
In Phase 3 (July 2023 – June 2027) with a budget of 7,720,000 Swiss Francs, the project aims to amplify past achievements, ensuring sustainable VET changes and fostering a brighter future for Albania, while also offering improved opportunities to approximately 29,400 Albanian individuals, encompassing women, men, youth, and special needs groups.
Vision
The main goal of ‘Skills for Jobs’ (S4J) project is to offer young people in Albania the best vocational education and training. Better skills will help young people to get a job that they love and that pays them well.
Partners
Donators
Company
Industry Associations
Public and Private Universities
High Schools
Our Team
Collaborators
Beneficiaries
Results to Date
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ACCESS TO VET
17177 students benefitted from the S4J project
(In Shkodra, Lezha, Tirana, Elbasan, Vlora and Berat)
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MORE VET GRADUATES GETTING EMPLOYED
One year after graduation, 71% of graduates in 2022 were employed compared to 34% in 2016.
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HIGHER EMPLOYMENT AMONG FEMALE VET GRADUATES
The share of female VET graduates working reached 49.4% in 2022 compared to 32% in 2019.
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FASTER SCHOOL TO WORK TRANSITION
59.8% of graduates in 2022 found jobs before graduation, and 77.9% secured employment within three months.
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LESS VE STUDENTS DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL
The dropout rate fell by 5 percentage points at 10% in the AY 2022 – 2023, compared to 5.1% in the AY 2020-2021.
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HIGHER JOB RELEVANCE
55.7% of 2022 graduates now work in more relevant jobs, demonstrating improved alignment with their study direction.
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SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS RELATIONS
810 companies collaborate with project’s partner institutions since Phase 1, hosting students and trainees in apprenticeships and internships. More businesses engage in VET delivery also through participation in level exams, delivering lectures, and storytelling sessions.
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MORE STUDENTS IN APPRENTICESHIPS
8,063 young women and men from partner providers participated in apprenticeships by the end of Phase 2.
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MORE BIG COMPANIES COLLABORATING WITH VET
A total of 963 companies in Albania have signed MoUs and were collaborating with S4J partner providers by the end of Phase 2.
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INTENSIFYING DIALOGUE BETWEEN VET PROVIDERS AND COMPANIES
Business representatives from different industries are contributing towards an improved VET offer through local dialogue roundtables with businesses organized each year.
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IMPROVED AND STRATEGIC INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT
10 partner providers were supported to enhance mid-term and annual planning through mentoring and coaching.
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CONSOLIDATED DEVELOPMENT UNITS
Enhanced partner providers’ DUs and internal structures through tailored coaching and experience-sharing.
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IMPROVED LABOR MARKET-ORIENTED OFFER WITH A FOCUS ON LEVEL V OF QF
S4J partner VET providers have included in their offer new directions and profiles. An expanded range of qualifications such as programming, multimedia, office administration, real-estate mediation, and fashion design, is now being offered with a focus on increased gender-neutrality.
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SUPPORTING MODERNIZATION OF ALBANIAN VET
Supported the design and implementation of “e-VET@Albania 2030 – A Roadmap to ICT-supported modernization of Albanian VET”, as part of the National Strategy 2023 – 2030.
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INNOVATION IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS
A total of 14,299 active users on the MesoVET platform. MesoVET Mobile Application was launched and made available for use for Android and iOS users with offline function included. Supported digital content development in selected directions. 55 subjects across 5 study directions were developed and digitized by a team of 32 authors, 6 digitalization experts, and 5 pedagogical experts.
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MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE
Conducting infrastructure investments based on needs and opportunities, including 77 blended learning classrooms.
Swisscontact
Swisscontact is an independent, business-oriented Swiss organization aiming international development cooperation. Represented in 36 countries, with 123 projects and over 1100 employees, it has been promoting economic, social and environmental development since 1959.
FAQ
Vocational Education and Training (VET) is secondary education aiming to develop students’ skills through combining vocational theoretical subjects and practice, preparing youngsters for employment after graduation. After graduating from VET secondary education, they can also pursue higher education.
Vocational Education and Training in Albania is supported by state institutions as well as foreign organizations and projects. The Ministry of Finance and Economy is the ministry responsible for VET, while the responsible agencies are the National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES) and the National Agency of Vocational Education, Training and Qualifications (NAVETQ). VET in Albania is also supported by the Swiss, Austrian and German governments.
At present, there are 18,192 students enrolled in the VET institutions in Albania.
- Vocational education develops youngsters’ skills through the combination of vocational theoretical subjects and practice.
- Students attain their practical skills by being assisted and guided at every step by field experts.
- From an early age, youngsters have access to the labor market and learn from the experience of the most successful business representatives.
- Apprenticeships create opportunities for suitable and well-paid employment and possibilities for promotion in managerial positions.
- Youngsters discover their passions while working in practice and make more suitable career choices.
- Youngsters are quickly employed and self-employed in profiles that match their skills and education.
- They get prepared, in theory and practice, for pursuing higher education.
- The demand for qualified professionals from different industries is continuously increasing.
- Modernization and digitalization of the economy needs young professionals with practical experience.
- Vocational education in Albania is supported by countries such as Switzerland, Germany and Austria. These countries have extensively chosen vocational education for attaining professional and life skills
VET institutions which are partners of the S4J project have an extensive network of partner companies, some of the best in the region, which provide long-term apprenticeships for students. Based on the apprenticeship model developed by S4J, students receive career guidance by both school and business instructors, to help them understand their skills and flairs as well as which educational directions and job positions are best fitted for them. Students are also guided throughout the apprenticeship application process. During the Apprenticeship Fair organized by the school they get to know different businesses and have interviews. Once the parent, school and company sign a cooperation agreement, the student can start his apprenticeship in the company.
Partner institutions of the ‘Skills for Jobs’ project have been supported by the project with the necessary infrastructure and technology for learning that combines face-to-face learning with online learning. Blended learning classrooms and infoteques (computer-equipped rooms) have been set up in several schools, where students can work on their online projects. MësoVET platform, developed by the project, makes distance learning possible and is frequently enhanced with digital learning materials. During the period of physical distancing imposed by COVID-19, the use of the platform increased by multiple times and it was also used by other VET institutions in Albania who are not partners of the S4J.
- Developing a business mindset in partner Vocational Education and Training institutions by intensifying their collaboration with the private sector and other partners;
- Adoption of the apprenticeship model by partner providers, as a model with countless benefits for the students, companies and VET institutions;
- Improving and modernizing the learning process by integrating technology and new ways of learning, teachers training provided by industry front-runners and the integration of the process of assessment and monitoring of education plans;
- Institutional development by establishing and consolidating the Development Unit as well as through strategic planning, management and self-assessment process in partner institutions.
