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World of business

World of business

One of the specific objectives of ALLED2 project is to enhance the quality of practical and applied teaching and learning in Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools and Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) in core occupational sectors relevant to market needs, including career guidance and counselling. Kosovo needs to continue to strengthen the quality and relevance of education programmes and the link between education and the labour market as a precondition for employability and economic development. Inefficient transition from education to work contributes to unemployment and low economic performance. In this regard, aligning education with labour market needs can effectively enhance students’ opportunities of transition from education to employment. In this regard, cooperation with Private Sector in terms of implementation of activities is very important for achieving sustainable project results. The main focus will be on aligning education and training materials with labour market needs, improvement of the quality of teaching and the relevant equipping of VET schools to support practical training.

Based on the results of ALLED I, the second phase will continue the action of aligning education and training with labour market needs in Kosovo through sustaining reached results and supporting innovative measures based on IPA 2017 plans. It likewise aims to address UN Sustainable Development Goal 41 and the EU Gender Gap II objectives, specifically objective 13 promoting equal access for girls and women to all levels of quality education and vocational education and training (VET) free from discrimination2. In this regard, ALLED2 project will pay special attention and increase efforts on establishing much closer links between education and labour market needs in Kosovo.

Therefore, the ALLED2 activities will seek to strengthen the link and alignment of education and training in HE and VET/VTCs to LM needs in terms of developing a system and practice to support the cooperation. This implies development of LM systems for planning and monitoring of the need. It also implies development of HE and VET programmes according to the need of occupations and skills by industry, companies and enterprises. There is a need to strengthen the capacity of staff in education, foremost the teachers and trainers in the delivery of the programmes. The linkages between education and work, such as work-based learning and career counselling for transition to LM need to be enhanced.

Regarding Innovation, the new Action Programme of ALLED2 emphasises the further step in aligning education with the labour market; in building, concrete cooperation models and measures between education and training and private sector with systemic effects. ALLED2 supports capacity development of human resources in institutions in both education and employment services, as well as the private sector of Kosovo. This requires collaboration and coordination between the different actors and stakeholders.

The project will also support piloting and implementation of the developed HEI qualifications and programmes and cooperation of university and private sector as well as VET. Quality assurance throughout the project implementation will be done through a strong emphasis at the steering level on the liaison with the private sector and the institutionalisation of activities for sustainable project results.

In order to have a close cooperation with the private sector, as the main stakeholder in addressing the labour market needs, the Steering Board has the possibility to invite, as required, additional actors to participate in its meetings, e.g. local and international experts in education and employability; representatives of the private sector such as Chamber of Commerce, other associations, and single enterprises.

Some of the expected results related to VET and private sector cooperation are:

Expected Result 1: Study programmes serve as a competence hub for the industry and VET: curricula, diploma supplement and faculty management are enhanced, labour market-relevant and lead to increased employability;

Expected Result 3: Vocational Education Training (VET) schools and Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) offer qualitative programmes based on the Labour Market Needs; including Training of Teachers/Trainers (ToT), sustainable quality assurance mechanisms and provision of relevant equipment;

Expected Result 5: The link between the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and the Business sector is more structured; certain planning tools for VET are sustainably in place; and incentives are identified and piloted.