1. NETWORKING TO SERVE LOCALLY, GAINING COMPETITIVE
VISIBILITY AND EMPLOYMENT
(Project Name)
Team Name: jobsystem4youth
Country: Albania
School: Epoka University
Mentor: Eglantina Hysa

2. outh unemployment is not a fragmentary problem, rather than a
complex consequence of the development shortcomings in
emerging economies, like Albania.
lbanian population enjoys an average age of 32. The
number of youngsters entering the labor market every
year makes about 6% of the overall working force.
Albania used to host 82% of its population in the rural
areas till 1990. Today its rural population counts for
slightly over 45% (National Census 2011).
ne third of the population lives and works abroad,
producing in remittances almost 1/3 of the country's
revenues. Most of this income is spent in consumables
and has allowed so far for the trade sector to make the
lead.

3. n a country like Albania, official unemployment tops at 13%, and
youngsters and graduated students suffer from it the most.
ainly due to ruined infrastructures, Albania currently hosts in key towns
likely Tirana and Durres over 85% of business entities. Strategic public
investments made mainly in roads, aiming to increase access to markets to the
raw materials, has not reversed this trend.
he Government has had no resources to support employment incentive
programs.
DIs boosted following the full accession of Albania to NATO reaching
approx. 1 Bln USD by 2010, but their ground implementation into key
projects is taking longer than expected.
rivate schooling has declined the credibility of a University diploma in the
country, while VET schooling suffers a low profile and attendance.

4. nemployment is not fought just by employment, rather than by a normal demand
and offer proportionate market relation and thanks to a fair competitive selection process.
oungsters should strive to understand how they shall deserve a job
and how should they serve to maintain an active job relation.
his preparatory step is indispensible before providing young
graduated candidates with job opportunities.
ob is not the gift done to a generation by a previous generation. It is first and
foremost a responsibility attitude and behavior that meets market demands in terms of
quality and service. Besides, Youngsters should understand that a career requires skills and
experience.
mployment is not a chance you take
it is an opportunity you serve, from a prospective you are familiar with,
in an environment that you know best.

5. ocal uthorities may produce a database for all the graduated workforce of
unemployed youth and enable them:
assist the local SME environment and relevant business stakeholders
(Banks, Insurance companies, etc)
to evaluate better Domestic Investments
to vitalize Local Natural Resources
to upgrade Strengths of Local Market
hese research labs will produce:
regular events and the necessary visibility of the best skilled candidates

6. ocal Governments shall call to the attention of all the Albanians living
abroad (originating from these areas) to evaluate domestic investments
 should they be willing to return home and invest at their local community
provide them with incentives, ideas and business proposals
repared and developed by the young work-seeker candidates.
pen online forums
and
Other tech-based communications
ocal businesses shall benefit first from these ideas, proposals, public
discussions etc. by gaining a direct appreciation and interest towards the
youngsters engaged in these debates

7. .
the local
Database
Employ
Regionally
Youth Performance

8. his process - once starting to produce results
shall
a good number of individuals
who have already built an experience
but still face unemployment in the new central cities.
his process will at the same time S
consequences that T
local areas/communities suffer so far. O
P

9. pilot project in one town crushed by massive unemployment likely
Elbasan*, may allow for the project to obtain a national design and be
implemented on a national scale.
Contacting the city labor office and collecting information for the last year
graduated students, may be the starting point of the database.
Then allowing the youth listed on the database to assist local businesses and
also encourage them to research for the regional resources in terms of
Domestic Investment and Natural Resources, creates an opportunity for them
to show and enhance their skills, and will even open new paths to local
business expansion due to their research, and thus generate employment for
the most successful ones and avoid the city brain drain.
*Elbasan district,50 km south-east capital Tirana, has over 120,000 citizens, who used
to be employed mainly at the Metallurgic Plant, actually a phantom industry stopped
since 1990. The town due to some local traditions has not undergone massive
emigration (counting for less than 15%). Enjoying a strong school affection history the
city has a peak percentage of youngsters who graduated since 1990 compared to the rest
of the country. A good number of these youngsters excelled at school but faces extreme
limited chances of employment.

10. .
his time will be invested in reaching the local authorities, from municipality to the labor
office and university archive, to gain the data on the graduated students yet unemployed
and the number of city’s enterprises .
fterward, the project shall be introduced to these local authorities, likely municipality as
well as public and private enterprises, to kindly request for their support on this dynamic
initiative to boost youth engagement in city labor market , by enabling them to assist in
SME as well as striving them to conduct researches for business expansion opportunities
on the focused locality.
lbasan had nearly 3000 graduated students by the year end 2011, while the number of
SME vary to 100 (Instat.gov.al).
he project aims to engage at least 60% of the unemployed graduated youth on the
creation of research labs and SME assistance, and thus create successful ground for youth
employment.
he project is expected to last 1 year , the 11 remaining months will relate to youth
research activity and assistance, and after measuring and observing the results- in terms of
employment, we are very encouraged to extend its expansion also on other regions of
Albania for the following years.