Some 451 apprentices attending training program at Regional Vocational Training Centre in Elbasan as part of the Start Smart program, the latest package launched by the National Employment Service to help long-term unemployed jobseekers, training them to develop basic job search skills.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Dajna Sorensen, visited the newly-opened Vocational Training Centre in Elbasan, which provides short-term training programs for applicants from the area.

“We have guided the students who wish to attend vocational training at Start Smart centre to figure out their skills and gifts in order to help them start a career. The Start SMART training package focuses on training exercises and assessment of work-related social skills required by employers. Exercises are of a practical nature and involve trainees in the training process,” one of the local Employment Service office said.

The program provides training opportunities to unemployed jobseekers to develop basic skills and other relevant skills to take up a job position or carry on with further vocational training.

“This is an indispensable thing, because jobseekers lack skills to take up a job. But by gaining and developing basic skills, it would be easier for the jobseekers to integrate into the labour market and by being skilled professionals they would also receive a much higher salary,” PM Rama Rama said.

As many as 2314 unemployed job seekers country-wide have joined the training program until end of March. The package will be extended throughout Albania in 2019 and it is designed to provide training to over 20,000 unemployed jobseekers.