Economic development, employment promotion and technical and vocational training (ProSEED)
The project aimed at improving the offer of skilled workers in selected sectors, focusing on the supply side of the labor market. The projects target group included youth with or without general education degree to obtain a vocational qualification for entering the labor market, working adults who attend training courses to improve their employability (life-long learning (LLL)) as well as unemployed and underemployed individuals.
In cooperation with National Agency of Employment and Skills (NAES), vocational training centers (VTCs) and regional employment offices (REOs), a referral system was developed and has been implemented at all of the 10 public VTCs and the related REOs on the national level; standardizing all procedures, templates and communications. In this frame, the project developed modules, a training handbook, trained master trainers and trainers for job search training as well as for job related soft-skills training (so called Start SMART), which was subsequently introduced nation-wide in 2019.
The implementation of VT courses in the public VTCs has often been subject of discussions with regards to its lack of effectiveness and efficiency. After the National Agency of Vocational Education Training and Qualifications (NAVETQ), in cooperation with NAES and the VTCs developed nationally valid curricula for 25 short-term courses, the project developed a worked-based-learning (WBL) concept and supported 5 VTCs in piloting WBL courses in 15 professions through the whole cycle of WBL (registration of trainees, internship placement, assessment, documentation, implementation of final exams and tracing of graduates).. Based on a tracer study that showing very significant effect on employment, the project was tasked in 2020 and 2021 to support all 10 public VTCs in implementing the work-based learning approach across all professional courses.
In addition, in light of restrictions due to Corona impacting the maximum size of trainees in the classroom halved and an interest within the country to apply a Digital Learning approach, the course “INSTALIM DHE MIREMBAJTJE E RRJETIT ELEKTRIK” (electrical network installation and maintenance) was piloted as a blended learning course, by digitalizing core learning content. To ensure fitting content, the digital content was co-developed with instructors. Subsequently electrical network installation instructors from all VTCs as well as staff from the Development Units were trained in a 6-day workshop in teaching in a blended learning approach.