Based on 2011 Census, in Albania the youth (ages 15-29) unemployment rate was 21.9%. A considerable part of them in 63% are unemployed for a long time, which consist in a higher rate than in any EU country and requires special attention. Researches have concluded that the duration of unemployment in young people has negative effects in finding a new job possibility, because affects loss of job skills and becoming less attractive for employers. Especially this will reduce future earnings, job opportunities and delaying in profiting the valuable work skills. Another indicator related with youth is 30% of them that are not involved in employment, education or training, which also consist in very high rate compared to EU countries.
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Under the shelter of this expression, we are doing our best, through “Your Job” project, which is dedicated for young persons of Lezha, Shkodra and Kamza, to increase their vocational training opportunities, personal job skills and employment opportunities. The guidance counselor of Lezha, through a series of preliminary steps and meetings, both individual and group, has given information, life skills program, soft skills program and career counselling with youth of Lezha.
Through this process, some of them chose to do a professional course, which consist in confectionery, making pastry and desserts. After cooperating with the course delivery center and signing the MoU, there are 13 young people who are attending this course, 3 of whom are people with disabilities. This youth group come from the villages of Lezha, have only the secondary education and they’re without a profession, which reduces their chances for the future. Their participation has showed a lot of passion, ambition and creativity in the preparation of desserts, in appreciation of this opportunity given by the project “Your Job”.
We are hoping that through taking this profession, we will improve their quality of life, theirs families and the communities from where they come from. Being self-employed and capable of making an adequate living will also contribute to labor market.