Education, training and labour market systems are increasingly challenged by global developments such as digital transformation, globalisation, demographic change, climate change and global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. All these have a profound impact on the lives of individuals and on society. The development of technology, especially information and communication technology (ICT), has boosted economic globalisation and opened new opportunities for people, but also new risks.
Among these developments with uncertain outcomes, there are some certainties: firstly, a fast-evolving world and a changing labour market require individuals to become real lifelong learners, to acquire new competences to cope with change and to adapt and further develop existing competences. Secondly, there is a growing demand for valid information on the changing labour markets and future prospects. In addition, there is a growing need for supporting people required to manage more frequent and complex transitions within and between education and work. In this context, there is a greater need than ever for career development support. At the same time, career development support – that is lifelong career guidance, and in particular career education, and career development support for workers – itself faces challenges in adapting to the new circumstances.
Against this background, the ETF engaged in reviewing the state of national/state-wide career development support systems in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The objective of the reviews is to describe existing capacities and development potentials for career development support systems, not just services or policies, but to inform policy and practice enhancement in a systematic approach, to support the selection of country priorities for further system development and future planning, and to inform ongoing and future EU and ETF activities, such as the Youth Guarantee and IPA. For more information about the conceptual approach to the reviews, please refer to the ETF-ILO publication “Developing National Career Development Systems”.
The objective of the assignment was to provide a clear and concise record of the state of national career development support system in Albania, according to the review report template and questionnaire. The reviews cover lifelong career guidance for all, career education, career development support for workers, including for non-standard forms of employment, to inform national policy discussions and national/regional EU programmes, such as Youth Guarantee implementation plan development and IPA III programming.
Two workshops have been conducted (consultation and validation workshop). The main goal of the consultation workshop was to present the initial desk research findings of the review of the national career development system in Albania, and to bring together all key stakeholders to discuss existing capacities and development potential. The consultation workshop allowed for a consultation with the relevant national stakeholders on open questions identified during the desk research undertaken and collecting input for finalizing the report.
The objective of the validation workshop was to exchange with key stakeholders what country priorities in this policy area are and to discuss with them the next steps/ways for moving forward ongoing reforms in career development support. The validation event aimed at validating key findings and recommendations of the review report by all relevant stakeholders.
Key findings
Career counselling and guidance (Këshillimi dhe udhëzimi në karrierë) is understood as services that assist individuals to make education, training and occupational choices and to manage their careers. Recent legal changes (VET Law, Employment Promotion Law as well as the National VET Strategy 2019-2022) clearly show a willingness for CG, political support and a changing culture towards CG.
Career education or vocational guidance is an integral part of the school curriculum and a common guiding activity in most high schools, aimed at preparing students for the world of work by improving their career management skills and their abilities to seek and use information for making decisions. The VET system provides career instruction, counselling, and guidance to facilitate their students finding employment. Development units are set up and operate in all vocational education and adult education institutions have the function of learners' career guidance. Career and alumni offices in every institution of higher education facilitate the link between academic careers and the employment opportunities of graduate students. Universities have realized the importance of the role of Career and Alumni Offices in providing career guidance services to their students and have policies in place to provide these services.
The provision of vocational guidance for youth and adults in relation to all issues of career choices and career development and the relevant educational paths is the task of the employment offices. They provide information and guidance on all aspects of career choices and career development, types of training or study course, occupational change and mobility, further training and retraining, placements and self-employment. Individual capacities have been set up. Practitioners (school practitioners, university practitioners, and employment services practitioners) receive support for their work through donor projects as well as training. This contributes to the reputation of their work, improves the provision of CG, and highlights the value of investing in CG services.
Many citizens in Albania have no access to guidance and counselling services during their lifetime, such as NEETs, PWDs, people living in remote areas, etc. This denies them the opportunity to manage their educational and working life effectively and make well-informed decisions about their careers. Despite the continuous support of various projects, career guidance issues have not been addressed in depth because of the simple fact that it lacks an overall strategy. A strategic (policy) document is necessary to build a solid system in the field of CG. European experience should be taken into account.
There has been a lack of cooperation between different government agencies, and in particular between education and employment portfolios, and between different levels of government in providing and sharing career information. This leads to overlap, fragmentation and a lack of transparency and inclusiveness. A challenge for policymakers is to ensure that career guidance is part of community-based services being targeted at early school-leavers. Career orientation should be a part of a school’s strategy to detect and assist young people leaving school early or without qualifications, to help them stay in school and provide planned exit strategies that will enable them to re-engage in learning and successfully complete secondary education and training.
Key Priorities stemming from the review include:
- Develop a strategic (policy) document such as a career guidance strategy across policy areas and sectors, or a lifelong learning strategy or skills strategy with a clear integration of lifelong career guidance for all to ensure a coherent and systemic approach in the field of career guidance in the sectors of education, youth, health, social services and employment, aimed at long-term sustainability.
- Establish a national level cross-ministerial working group on career development support, which brings together all relevant stakeholders. Ensure the involvement of public stakeholders, private sector, civil society, research and social partners, as well as donors.
- Develop a consistent approach to career education from primary school onwards to general education, VET, and higher education: review the various career education programmes and activities in place.
The report marks a starting point to cooperate with stakeholder in further system development and will inform regional and national initiatives and EU programmes such as Youth Guarantee and IPA.
You may find the document on this link https://www.etf.europa.eu/en/document-attachments/career-development-su…;
Thanks, Edmond, for your commitment in this review. A general feedback from all countries reviewed was that it helped create awareness on opportunities and the need to invest in career guidance, and that the review process brought many stakeholders across employment, education and youth sectors together which is usually rarely the case. Thanks for this and ETF hopes that this will trigger even more investment of country stakeholders.
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