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Universiteti “MARIN BARLETI”, Rr. Sami Frashëri nr. 41, Tiranë;VISTAS Enterprises sh.a. Rruga Ymer Kurti, Qëndra e Biznesit “Olimpia”, Tiranë; www.vistas.alADRIAPOL - Institute for smart and Creative Development, Qëndra e Biznesit “Olimpia”, Tiranë

EDUCATION, SKILLS, EMPLOYMENT – ThE MISSINg LINK TO A BETTER MATChINg OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR LABOR1. Education – cornerstone for development

Education is a foundational block for individual, community, and national development, the backbone of a peaceful society, and a universal human right. Today, education is viewed as the most powerful path to development of sustainable societies. Following the model of many developped countries, the Albanian government is reorienting the education system towards principles of sustainable development as a fundamental move to encourage positive change in knowledge, values and attitudes of citizens and to prepare them for addressing the challenges that lie ahead Albania’s future and its accession in the EU1. Embedding principles of competency-based approaches into the education system and within all areas and levels of education is widely seen as a catalyst for achieving a curriculum reform that reflects the complex needs of ever more globalised societies of the 21st century, and simultaneously incorporates local demands and life skills.A growing number of education institutions are recognising that achieving and safeguarding quality in edu-cation is inextricably linked with the constant upgrading of technical and pedagogical knowledge and skills among administrators of educational systems at all levels in order to meet modern educational demands. There is a a growing need for introducing new technologies and education methodologies that lower educa-tional costs, increase learning effectiveness, while overcoming many causes of social exclusion and that help apply teaching and research towards practical sustainability solutions, particularly within local communi-ties, in order to achieve a better mattch between the needs of graduates and their prospective employers.In tandem, businesses now recognize the value of having a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce that offers a better fit with the labor demands while contributing to developping more sustainable local econo-mies, more productive citizenship and more balanced regional development.

2. Skills development for productive citizenship

There is growing recognition among national and local government as well as private stakeholders that a human capital with professional knowledge and well-developed skills is an essential element for productive employment, sustainable socio-economic development, and a more productive citizenship. hence, there is increasing emphasis on the need to reform and to strengthen human resources via enhanc-ing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems and developping customized qualifi-cation frameworks for creating skills systems that match with specific occupational profiles and standards. To support the development of a coherent framework for skills development that is conducive to a produc-tive workforce in service of a more sustainable society and balanced regional development a set of mecha-nisms are proposed as below:

1See National Strategy for Development and Integration 2014 – 2020.

• Supporting TVET institutions, including strengthening management capacities;• Providing professional development of teachers, trainers, and facilitators as well as educational leadership capacities;• promotion of participatory pedagogical approaches;• establishment and review of national qualification frameworks and recognition of prior learning mechanisms;• development and review of skills and occupational standards, curricula, and training programs;• creation of structural linkages between the labor market and training systems;• support for skills development in the informal sector.

3. Promoting labor markets and employment

Employment and the creation of more and better jobs is not only one of the pillars of the Albanian National Strategy for Development and Integration (2014-2010) but also one of the main EU strategic development goals for all accession countries. however, a healthy labor market is hampered not as much by lack of em-ployment opportunities as by a glaring mismatch between the skills profiles demanded by employers and those possessed by job seekers, which is often the result of insufficient labor market information. hence, to effectively address this issue and promote real employment there is need to develop intelligent systems and tools that will make for the missing link between employees and employers by providing a more efficient matching between labor demands and skill supply. Moreover, they will facilitate entry into employ-ment and shorten transition phases to the aim of increasing the employability of target groups with specific needs through customized approaches, e. g. youth employment programs or measures to integrate people with disabilities in the labor market.In order to the achieve the above the following activities are neccessary:

• Developping labor market information systems that must be adapted to clients’ needs and capacities within their specific local context;• Designing specific tools such as job matching orbrokering services.• Designing programs that equip job seekers with skills, competencies and the flexibility needed in today’s labor markets;• Developing and implementing job-search and career-guidance systems, training and retraining, and job creation programs;• Increasing the employability of target groups with specific needs through customized approaches, e. g. youth employment programs or measures to integrate people with disabilities in the labor market; • Supporting regional stakeholders in increasing cooperation between VET schools and private sector and labor market institutions to enhance demand-driven VET.



4. Distance Learning and ICTs for education and training

Compared to conventional presence-based study distance learning (DL) has the advantage to facilitate learn-ing for large numbers of people located in remote distances, at reduced costs while providing easy access to information, dissemination, networking and exchange. however, effective distance learning requires considerable start up costs such as access to the internet, In-formation and Communication Technologies (ICT) hardware and technical support. It also relies on learn-ers being computer literate and able to interact in virtual environments and on provision of instructional designs that are logistically feasible and pedagogically engaging, providing opportunities for discussion and support that help reduce learner isolation. Activities needed in order to effectively implement distance learning for education and training are as fol-lows:

• Developping e-learning methods wehere learners use online resources via ICTs to study texts, audio and video materials, engage with tutors and peers in discussion fora;• Encouraging learners participate in web-based seminars (webinars), work collaboratively, and submit assignments online;• Coordinating study and training provicion through virtual learning environments, using online platforms such as Moodle, Edmondo, etc. ;• Strenghening instructional design, providing regular and personalised academic support, and facilitating peer-to-peer exchange;• Capacity development and training for program developers and support staff;• Providing effective delivery mechanisms, fully-developed administrative procedures, and clear stakeholder roles and responsibilities.

5. Skills development

There is growing recognition of the need for the education sector to adopt innovative and flexible approach-es to tackle the general lack of knowledge, especially on modern management and production techniques in a number of employment domains such as: business & commerce, entrepreneurship, creative industries, ICT, legal assistance, administrative assistance, tourism and hospitality, recreation and sport, manufactur-ing, construction and building, agribusiness, food production. Developping technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to address the specific needs for pro-fessional skill supply as well as the needs arising from largely non-formalized sectors, is a matter of urgency. Activities related to the implementation of skill developpment are as follows:

• Providing conceptual support for policies and sector framework;• Professional human capacity development of advisors, teachers, trainers and educational managers;• Establishment and review of national qualification frameworks and recognition of prior learning mechanisms;


• Development and review of skills and occupational standards, curricula and training programs;• Inducement of modern learning approaches;• Designing of target-oriented delivery modes, e.g. classroom, mobile, e-learning etc.;• Developping a competency-based approach in learning and training that integrates practical training.

Implementing components of Education for Employment in a project.

Working Packages

WP1. Project Design / Coordination / ManagementWP2. Studies / Expertise / Data WP5. Capacity Building / TrainingWP3. Networking / Cluster / Value Chain / Best Practices WP4. Ecosystem / Model / hUB / Physical Intervention / Product DevelopmentWP6. Communication / Dissemination / Awareness RisingWP7. Sustainability / Technology Transfer

education, skills, employment - adriapol · pdf filevistas enterprises sh.a. rruga ymer kurti,...

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