EU for Youth, support for the youth scheme for employment and skills development in Albania

540 young Albanians aged 15-29 have applied for the Youth Guarantee scheme as part of the “EU for Youth” project. The project aims to improve the employability, training, and education of young people.

The Youth Guarantee, led by the National Employment and Skills Agency, is a key EU initiative to reduce youth unemployment, ensuring that young people under 30 receive quality work, education, or training opportunities within four months of registering with employment offices.

In Albania, it has been piloted since October 2023 in Tirana, Shkodër, and Vlorë.

Employment offices serve as the first stop in a process that begins with counseling and guidance to help young people understand their opportunities, capacities, and limitations. Depending on their interests and skills, they can be directed towards vocational courses, further training, qualifications, or university education. They are then oriented towards employment opportunities or offered grants for their initiatives, based on an individual case-by-case assessment.

During the first year of the program’s pilot phase, of the 540 young people who applied, almost half have had a “positive outcome,” meaning that they either found employment or attended vocational training courses.

The program aims for policy coherence and coordination—based on various partnerships—to “guarantee” a quality offer within four months, continuous monitoring, and effective use of domestic and international financial resources.

“EU for Youth” is an EU-funded project that enhances interinstitutional capacities to effectively implement and govern the Youth Guarantee in Albania. Implemented by UNDP and UNICEF, the project aims to target 17,000 young people registered in public Eos, who will benefit from improved employment services through youth-friendly instruments. (February 13)