Start date:  September 30, 2010                  End date:  September 29, 2015    

Project budget (Life of Project):  $6.7 million  

Implementer:     Education Development Center (EDC)   

Objectives

Youth will gain relevant skills preparing them to participate in the modern economy. The program targets students in Macedonia’s general and vocational secondary schools, unemployed registrants with the Employment Service Agency (ESA), and other out-of-school youth, aged 15-27, in the municipalities of Strumica, Stip, Bitola, Prilep, Gostivar, Tetovo, and the City of Skopje.

Components

Build public-private dialogue to better match the skills required in the labor market with those developed in schools.  Support public-private dialogue under the leadership of municipal governments; facilitate participation of community leaders, educators, employment mediators, youth and employers by establishing Local Economic and Social Councils (LESCs); and build the capacity of the LESCs to conduct local labor market analyses and develop local employment plans.

Improve the “supply” of future workers. Build the capacity of the staff of local ESA job clubs, secondary schools, and youth-serving NGOs to better deliver training in employability skills; to facilitate work-based learning opportunities such as job-shadowing, internships and summer practice; and to provide professional services of career exploration and preparation counseling. Support ESA to better serve youth through their Active Labor Market Measures.

Accomplishments/Impact

• In the 6 municipalities outside of Skopje, the project re-established the job club in each of the local ESA Employment Centers, and established Career Centers in 25 secondary schools.
• The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Center adopted courses on employment preparation and work experience as elective courses for VET students. Over 770 students already completed one course during the 2011/2012 school year, with over 2,240 enrolled in them in 2012/2013.
• ESA introduced a new service in six Job Clubs: a five-day Preparation for Employment and Work training for young job seekers. Already, around 500 youth received the training from ESA.  In addition, youth NGOs trained another 130. Moreover, 63 trainees have been employed and 38 have been engaged as interns.
• The project helped the Ministry of Education and Science develop competence-based standards for professional school Career Advisors.
• With project support, the municipalities of Strumica, Tetovo and Stip established Local Economic and Social Councils that will advise Municipal Councils on many issues including youth employment.
• The LESC in Strumica conducted a local labor market analysis and developed a local employment action plan.

Contact Information

Contact at USAID: Natasha Buleska, AOR, nbuleska@usaid.gov

Project Manager:  Gjorgi Kusevski, gkusevski@edc.org

Information Officer: Sofija Basmadzieva, sbasmadzieva@edc.org

Web page: www.yesnetwork.mk