A vocational training course in Kashar is helping young people build practical skills, connect with employment services and pursue greater independence.
At 22, Klejda is ready to begin working. A biology graduate and the eldest of four sisters, she lives in Kashar with her family, which receives economic assistance. Finding a first job in her field has not been easy, so rather than wait for the right opportunity, she decided to explore a different path in Albania’s growing tourism and hospitality sector. “I want to work, become independent and help my family,” she says.
Klejda is one of 20 young people who recently completed a vocational course in hospitality and hotel services in Kashar, an administrative unit of Tirana Municipality located around 20 minutes from the capital. Many of the participants were not in employment, education or training when they enrolled. Held from 2 June to 14 August, the course brought vocational training closer to young people who may otherwise struggle to access it because of limited transport, information or educational opportunities.
Connecting skills with employment
For 18-year-old Daniela, the training came at an important moment. She had recently finished high school and was considering what to do next. As the fifth child in a family receiving economic assistance, finding work would be an important step towards greater independence. The course gave her a clearer sense of direction and practical skills that she is now eager to bring into the workplace.
Entering the labour market for the first time can be difficult. Young people may lack work experience, hold skills that do not match available jobs or find it challenging to navigate employment services. A certificate can help, but it does not always provide a direct route into work. That is why the participants in Kashar received career counselling and information about employment opportunities alongside their vocational training, helping them prepare not only to complete the course but also to take their next steps towards employment.
The course was delivered by Barleti University in cooperation with the local Employment Office and the Kashar Administrative Unit through the Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania programme, known as LEAP. The programme connects social protection, skills development and employment services to create clearer pathways into work, with a particular focus on women, young people, people not in employment, education or training, and families receiving economic assistance.
“The programme’s early results suggest the model is working,” says Eno Ngjela, Programme Specialist at UNDP. “As of June 2026, 886 women and young people had completed employment-related training through LEAP, and 344 had gone on to secure jobs.” These results show the value of combining relevant training with career guidance, employment services and a closer understanding of what employers need.
In Kashar, these figures are reflected in the experiences of young people such as Klejda and Daniela. One is a university graduate preparing to enter a new sector, while the other is taking her first steps into the labour market after high school. Their circumstances may be different, but both are working towards the same goal of building an independent and more secure future for themselves and their families.
Their journeys are only beginning. The training has given them skills and a clearer direction, but continued cooperation between communities, training providers, employment services and employers will be essential to turn those first steps into lasting careers. For the 20 young people who completed the course in Kashar, the opportunity is about more than finding a job. It is a chance to earn an income, support their families and begin shaping their own futures.
The Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania programme is funded by the Joint SDG Fund and implemented by UNDP, ILO and UN Women, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the National Agency for Employment and Skills.
Originally published by UNDP Albania.
Note
All Joint SDG Fund programmes are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. The Joint SDG Fund gratefully acknowledges contributions from the European Union and the Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development.
