Background – Albania is undergoing fundamental changes and reforms in many areas. The country aims at moving towards European integration, but it has a long way to go politically, economically and socially. Albania is still one of the poorest countries in Europe and the opportunities of the youth to find a gainful employment are limited. Vocational Education and Training (VET) is one of the areas that require most efforts and support. At the same time, professional training has considerable potential to boost the economy and to make a significant contribution to insert people into the labour market.

The Project – Swisscontact contributes, on behalf of SDC, to the overall reform of the Albanian VET-system, in order to transform it into an efficient labour market responsive system, attractive for young students as well as for schools and private companies to participate and striving towards European standards. In order to achieve that, the project works in four areas: formal systems reform, partnership for learning, decentralization, and social inclusion of disadvantaged groups. Swisscontact works with actors of all levels, i.e. with individual training providers, local and regional authorities, but also with the central government and its institutions. In formal systems reform the project supports the occupational areas of hydraulic systems fitting and information and communication technology. In partnerships for learning, the project is developing non-formal dual apprenticeship schemes. The apprentices receive a part of their education in a company and a part at a professional school. Currently apprenticeships for bakers and hairdressers are being built up. The Vocational Training Center in Durres is being transformed into a model school for the modernization of training programs and also for the decentralization of the vocational education in Albania. Close collaboration with the private sector is central in the activities of the project. Employers put their needs forward so that the training actually includes the necessary competencies. All this helps to increase the number of young people with professional skills, which will ultimately support economic development and the reduction of poverty in Albania.