Abstract

The mismatch between what is taught in schools and what is required in the labor market is one of the foremost problems that the labor market and young people in Kosovo face today. In 2019, 49.4% of working-age young people in Kosovo were unemployed and 32.5% of youth in Kosovo were not in education, employment, or training (NEET), the highest percentage in the region ("Punësimi dhe analiza e tregut të punës në Kosovë", 2020). Out of those who were employed, 56% of them work in occupations that do not match their educational qualifications ("What are the challenges of being young in Kosovo?", 2020). Additionally, businesses in Kosovo consistently report that an unskilled workforce negatively impacts both their hiring efforts and their productivity, causing them to grow and produce less than their true potential. A high number of skills that are cross-sectorial and are evaluated as highly as technical skills, can be developed through non-formal learning activities. This study examines the relationship between non-formal learning in Kosovo and the labor market in three dimensions: the preferences of young people in non-formal learning and the skills they gain from engaging in non-formal learning, the influence of non-formal learning in employability, and the influence of non-formal learning in individual work performance. Finally, a set of recommendations are proposed for four key stakeholders - young people, non-formal education providers, the private sector, and the government - on how to properly utilize the benefits and opportunities of non-formal learning to bridge the gap between education and skills in the labor market of Kosovo.

Publication Date

11-2021

Document Type

Senior Project

Student Type

Undergraduate

Advisor

Edona Maloku

Advisor/Committee Member

Venera Demukaj

Campus

RIT Kosovo

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