Navigating Labor Markets: A Case Study on School-Based Career Guidance in Kosovo

From 2013 to 2024 the Enhancing Youth Employment (EYE) project in Kosovo worked to tackle youth unemployment by bridging the communication gap between policymakers and businesses. This gap often led to outdated laws, outdated curricula and insufficient career guidance. Unlike other initiatives that operated independently, EYE promoted collaboration among stakeholders. EYE was a project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Helvetas and Management Development Associates (MDA).

EYE used the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to address labor market complexities by promoting system changes. These changes included professional development for career advisors, challenging traditional gender roles, and improving the relationship between educational institutions and employers. EYE's primary goal was to support young people in finding new or better jobs. This was achieved by improving skills development and providing better labor market information and services.

One of EYE's significant contributions was its focus on career guidance within Kosovo's vocational education and training (VET) institutions. EYE facilitated effective, quality and sustainable career services through the School-Based Career Center (SBCC) with qualified career advisors. This required the empowerment of municipal leadership and effective public funding mechanisms to support the sustainability of career services.

The project worked with local municipalities to develop models for sustainable career guidance. It supported the qualification of career advisors and secured ongoing public funding. Despite challenges like dependency on donor funding and limited availability of career guidance services, EYE's efforts have led to a growing demand for career advice. This is particularly true among young people transitioning from school to work. By treating the labor market as a dynamic and evolving entity, EYE facilitated the creation of an adaptable system that meets the needs of Kosovo's youth and businesses.

EYE recently conducted a case study to look into its performance. The study is structured and presented as a two-part series. Part One covers the objective of the case study and its methodology. It also details the research (diagnosis), vision/strategy, and interventions of the EYE project in career guidance in VET institutions. Part Two discusses the results, lessons and recommendations, as well as the future directions of career guidance in Kosovo.

The case study reveals notable successes in addressing challenges related to career decision-making, mobilizing stakeholder support and institutionalizing career services within Kosovo's VET system. While acknowledging potential biases inherent in the case study process (e.g., sampling bias, focus only "before-after" rather than “with” or “without” career guidance services), the findings underline the tangible impact of EYE's interventions and provide valuable insights for future initiatives aimed at enhancing youth employment opportunities.

Giving young people the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions

Over the past decade, global studies have shown the positive impact of career guidance. It improves students' skills, knowledge and career-related decision-making. Those who received such guidance showed better outcomes compared to their counterparts.

In Kosovo, there is an increasing demand for career guidance as young people transition from school to work. As societal norms shift and social media influences individual choices, more young Kosovars are enrolling in VET institutions.

In 2020/21, 53% of upper secondary students chose VET, including 42.3% of girls. This trend addresses youth employability and employer demands, though a skilled workforce shortage persists and many youths seek opportunities abroad. Living costs have increased and people want more independence. Families and young people are focused on finding work and starting businesses independently. Employers are also taking notice and adapting their hiring and team management strategies.

Opportunities exist in Kosovo to leverage the benefits of decentralized governance and empower local municipal authorities. These opportunities create a high-quality, well-funded career guidance solution by improving career advice access, facilitating smoother transitions to employment and promoting collaborations between VET institutions, government and industry.

These changes aim to make VET institutions more appealing by offering clearer pathways to employment and enhancing collaboration prospects with businesses to ensure educational programs meet industry needs.

Young people still struggle to find decent jobs

Ermir, a 22-year-old final-year university student, moves around the streets of Prishtina, Kosovo's vibrant capital, as a taxi driver to support his studies in computer science. His story mirrors the aspirations and challenges of countless young Kosovars trying to bridge the gap between education and employment. Driven by a passion for programming, Ermir dreams of a future career in computer science.

Yet, like many others, Ermir faces the difficult task of securing internships and well-paying jobs. He decided to study computer science not because of support from a well-developed career guidance system; he was inspired by his teacher who returned to Kosovo from Germany and taught computer science.

Ermir's journey is just the surface of a deeper narrative. Across Kosovo, a generation stands at the crossroads of education and career paths, dealing with the influences of tradition, parental expectations and evolving peer dynamics. As societal norms shift and social media shapes individual choices, young Kosovars are increasingly carving paths to join VET institutions.

Despite efforts from various groups like the government, businesses and NGOs to establish an inclusive, relevant and sustainable career guidance system, these initiatives have not sufficiently supported young Kosovars. Without proper support, students navigated a maze of educational and career choices. This led to study and career decisions that did not match their interests, talents or job market demands.

In 2013, VET institutions provided no career guidance, public funding for such services was absent, and there was a severe shortage of career professionals. Decisions often came from donor priorities and central government directives, leaving VET institutions to navigate uncharted territory in their career guidance efforts.

One key problem was the lack of integration of career services into the VET system. Without this integration, students lacked access to important career guidance resources, leaving them feeling lost in their pursuit of meaningful careers.

Financial constraints added to the challenge. Limited public funding made it difficult for VET institutions to establish effective career guidance services. Despite its importance, there has been no clear strategy for comprehensive funding, resulting in underfunding and complicating an already costly system. This lack of resources meant that crucial support systems were slow to develop, leaving students to make important decisions about their futures on their own.

Additionally, a lack of collaboration between VET institutions and businesses widened the gap between education and industry needs. Students often graduated without exposure to real-world career opportunities or insights into what industries were looking for in new hires.

From analysis to action: Facilitating school-based career guidance services

EYE focused on three main areas to facilitate school-based career guidance services.

First, the project supported the development of a sustainable solution for VET teacher training in career guidance. This included accrediting a qualification program through a public institution to minimize costs and swiftly equip teachers with vocational qualifications. This excluded unsustainable, costly short courses from external providers.

Second, EYE facilitated the institutionalization of career services within VET institutions. This formalized the role of career advisors to efficiently use public resources for the provision of standardized VET career guidance services through the administrative instruction approved by Kosovo’s Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI). EYE provided technical assistance, external expertise and project staff knowledge to support this initiative.

Third, EYE focused on sustainable national-level expansion in partnership with municipalities to jointly invest in VET capacity building for the provision of career guidance services. This approach reduced dependence on donor funding, enhanced accountability in managing and delivering quality career guidance services aligned with MESTI's strategy, while minimizing divergent donor agendas.

Without this strategic intervention, there was a likelihood of fragmented, financially unsustainable models emerging, risking the continuity of career guidance in VET institutions in Kosovo. However, with the introduction of the EYE proposal, the trajectory of career guidance within Kosovo's VET education system shifted positively, offering a more organized and optimistic outlook for the future.

The model was facilitated through a bottom-up, participatory approach that emphasized local ownership and reduced dependency on external funding. Unlike direct approaches, this model empowered local authorities and used pilot projects to showcase feasibility before scaling up. Consequently, the project promoted lasting impacts on Kosovo's VET institutions by ensuring financial and operational sustainability.

What has been achieved

EYE championed operational excellence, quality assurance and stakeholder engagement as cornerstones of its implementation strategy. With Kosovo's decentralized education system, local municipalities now manage and fund pre-university education, including VET, aiming to align it better with local job market needs.

The number of financially sustainable school-based career centers (SBCCs) established has reached 19 in EYE’s partner VET schools, which have around 12,000 students, while another 6 SBCCs have been established by other donors, copying the SBCC model. Since the first SBCC started operating in 2016, around 150,000 career services have been provided to VET students and 9th graders. Of the users, 41% were women and 2% were minorities.

The number of businesses involved in the activities of VET schools through SBCCs has reached over 2,300, offering VET students more opportunities for employment and work-based learning. This cooperation with businesses has resulted in about 1,600 students being matched with jobs. The participation of women is 31%, while that of minorities is 2%.

Public funds invested for setting up SBCCs and building capacities of VET institutions for the provision of career services reached USD 114,000 by June 2024, far exceeding the phase target of USD 63,000. These achievements highlight the project's impact on labor market access and support for youth and businesses in Kosovo.

Key learnings

Sound analysis was crucial. The EYE project avoided blanket solutions, instead tailoring strategies to address the unique career guidance challenges of different groups and municipalities in Kosovo.

The project had a vision of inclusion, sustainability and scalability. It supported key partners, piloting a bottom-up, low-cost model to foster ownership, reduce dependency on external funding, and ensure a lasting impact on Kosovo’s career guidance in VET institutions. Ensuring that minority groups benefitted equitably from these initiatives strengthened their overall impact on Kosovo’s VET landscape.

The career guidance intervention aimed to reduce youth unemployment and enhance vocational education standards nationwide in Kosovo. The intervention underscored the transformative potential of structured, sustainable approaches to career development and education.

Incentives for behavioral shifts were integrated into the SBCC model. This promoted new practices and standards in career guidance through ongoing training, advocacy and institutionalization within national policies. Engaging stakeholders actively promoted vocational training and inclusivity, challenging traditional norms and fostering a more inclusive approach to career development. Advocacy efforts also played a crucial role in institutionalizing career guidance within national policies for sustained, long-term impact.

Key system changes were at the heart of the SBCC model. These changes included behavioral and practical shifts, such as piloting and expanding SBCCs with public funds, adopting new career guidance practices, improving standards and training for career advisors, and strengthening engagement with employers. Normative and value improvements included redefining perceptions of VET, gender equality efforts and community engagement. Structural and procedural changes included institutionalizing career guidance, standardizing services, creating sustainable funding models and fostering partnerships and collaboration.

Clarity of stakeholder roles was achieved through MESTI’s Administrative Instruction. This aligned local and national objectives, engaged businesses and enhanced VET curricula to meet labor market needs.

Strategic partnerships were formed with municipalities, VET institutions, businesses and national agencies. These partnerships tailored global best practices to local contexts, fostered institutionalization and increased student enrollment.

The project had a large-scale impact and outreach. It adopted inclusive targeting, addressed gender, minority, and marginalized group gaps and improved VET accessibility.

EYE's strategic approach has established sustainable career guidance within Kosovo's VET institutions, marking a positive shift from fragmented initiatives. This collaborative model, driven by local ownership and strategic partnerships, sets a benchmark for future education and career guidance projects in similar contexts.

Areas for further research and action

Improving career guidance in Kosovo's 69 VET institutions requires addressing both current challenges and future aspirations. This complex process demands a systemic approach, including careful resource allocation, infrastructure development, adequate staffing and stakeholder collaboration to ensure sustainable improvement.

Although the law allows VET institutions to generate income, this has not been implemented for unclear reasons. Moreover, advocating for government investment and institutionalizing funding mechanisms requires leveraging existing initiatives of advocacy, such as those by the networks of career professionals, to ease dependency on external donors.

The limited and sporadic involvement of private sector enterprises significantly hampers the ability to provide students with practical experiences and real-world skills. This issue can be addressed through a multifaceted approach that fosters stronger partnerships between educational institutions and the private sector.

Addressing parental influence on career choices is also vital. Despite the growing role of peers and social media, parents still play a key role. Effective strategies include targeted outreach, parental engagement and successful practices like integrated career centers and standardized training.

Read the complete Case Study 1 and Case Study 2 to learn more about the career guidance intervention.