Youth, Employment and Skills (YES)
Comprehensive youth employment and skills development program
Comprehensive Youth, Employment and Skills (YES) programme in Kosovo executed in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), addressing critical youth unemployment through systematic competency standards development for NQF levels 4-6, evidence-based skills outlook planning, labour market diagnostics, and integrated green TVET competencies that align with EU integration objectives and sustainable development priorities.
Kosovo confronted severe youth unemployment rates exceeding 55% among 15-24 age cohorts, representing one of Europe's most acute labour market integration challenges. The post-conflict transition context necessitated comprehensive TVET system reforms to bridge critical skills gaps between educational outputs and private sector demands, particularly in construction, renewable energy, and service sectors. Limited institutional capacity within VET providers, inadequate alignment between training curricula and labour market requirements, and insufficient industry-education partnerships constrained sustainable employment pathways for young people, demanding evidence-based interventions that could systematically address structural unemployment while supporting EU integration and economic diversification objectives.
Systematically address Kosovo's youth unemployment crisis through comprehensive development and implementation of competency standards for National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels 4-6, application of evidence-based skills outlook planning and labour market diagnostics, strategic enhancement of learning materials and training equipment across partner VET institutions, and coordination of industry sector councils to strengthen collaboration between education providers and private sector actors, while embedding green TVET competencies and sustainable construction practices that support EU integration and climate resilience objectives.
Specific Objectives:
- 1Reduce youth unemployment through targeted skills development
- 2Enhance employability of young people in Kosovo
- 3Facilitate labor market integration for youth
- 4Develop entrepreneurship and innovation capabilities among youth
Key Activities
- Development of comprehensive competency standards for NQF levels 4-6 with integrated master trainer qualifications
- Creation of occupation-specific profiles aligned with labour market demands and green skills requirements
- Establishment of assessment criteria and certification pathways for sustainable construction practices and renewable energy technologies
- Application of evidence-based skills outlook (SO) planning methodology for curriculum reform guidance
- Comprehensive labour market diagnostics integrating quantitative data analysis and stakeholder consultations
- Development of transferable skills forecasting models applicable to regional reform contexts including Moldova and other EU candidate countries
- Review and enhancement of learning materials, training equipment, and facilities for partner ministries and VET providers
- Integration of sustainable construction practices, renewable energy technologies, and resource-efficient methods into training curricula
- Development of trainer qualifications for NQF levels 4-6 with embedded green TVET competencies and digital learning solutions
- Coordination of industry sector councils to strengthen collaboration between education providers and private sector actors
- Facilitation of public-private partnerships for work-based learning and apprenticeship programme development
- Establishment of sustainable mechanisms for ongoing industry-education dialogue and curriculum relevance assurance
Methodology
Evidence-based skills outlook (SO) planning methodology integrating quantitative labour market analysis with qualitative stakeholder consultations
Multi-stakeholder participatory approach engaging MLSW, MEST, VET providers, private sector, and civil society organizations
Competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) framework development aligned with European Qualifications Framework standards
Systematic institutional capacity assessment utilizing organizational development and quality assurance principles
Industry sector council coordination methodology fostering public-private partnerships and employer engagement
Green TVET integration approach embedding sustainability competencies across all qualification levels and occupational profiles
Project Outcomes
Comprehensive competency standards for NQF levels 4-6 established and officially endorsed by MLSW and MEST, including integrated master trainer qualifications aligned with European Qualifications Framework principles
Evidence-based skills outlook planning methodology operationalized and successfully applied to guide curriculum reforms, with transferable approaches now being utilized in regional contexts including Moldova's State Order mechanism development
Enhanced learning materials, training equipment, and facilities deployed across partner VET institutions, incorporating sustainable construction practices, renewable energy technologies, and resource-efficient methods
Strengthened industry sector councils and VET school collaboration mechanisms established, fostering sustained public-private partnerships and ensuring ongoing alignment between training outputs and labour market demands
Integrated green TVET competencies embedded across all qualification levels, supporting Kosovo's EU integration objectives and contributing to climate resilience and sustainable development priorities
2018 to 2020
GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
Development Partner
Development OrganizationMinistry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW)
Government Counterpart and Policy Partner
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST)
Government Counterpart and Educational Policy Partner
PEM CONSULT
Technical Implementation Partner