New Mentors to Support Students’ Green Skills and Practical Learning
A new network of 145 trained mentors will support the development of practical green skills and climate knowledge among students from secondary vocational schools in North Macedonia.
The initiative is part of the ongoing strategic partnership between UNICEF and Nelt Group focused on equipping young people with the skills they need for the future.
Through the programme, in partnership with the Center for Vocational Education and Training Development, 145 mentors from 40 institutions, civil society organizations and companies – including public enterprises and three employees from Nelt Group– have been trained to receive secondary school students in their institutions and provide high-quality practical learning experiences. The 10 mentorship trainings, carried out between 21 May and 24 September 2025, were designed to strengthen mentors’ ability to guide students in applying green skills, climate knowledge and hands-on vocational competencies.
“Students must step outside the classroom to develop the green skills that enable them to contribute to environmental sustainability, climate resilience and the transition to a greener economy. Practical learning transforms knowledge into action and gives students the confidence and competence to innovate and lead in their professions,” said Lesley Miller, UNICEF Representative.
The ceremony was hosted at the General Hospital ‘8thof September’ - one of the partner institutions with newly trained mentors – showing that green skills are no longer tied to a single profession or industry. Whether a student becomes a technician, a nurse, a mechanic or an IT specialist, understanding how their work impacts the environment is becoming part of professional competence. This programme ensures that mentors can help students make these connections early.
“These trainings, carried out with the support of Nelt Group and UNICEF, are an example of how we can work together to ensure that every student in vocational education has access to high-quality learning in public institutions and organisations, and that every mentor is prepared to guide, encourage and support them. In doing so, we not only raise the quality and standards of teaching but also build trust between education and the business sector — trust without which genuine development of skills and competencies is not possible,” said Besnik Zendeli, director of the Center for Vocational Education and Training Development.
With the completion of this first phase, the Center for Vocational Education and Training Development and its partners will continue expanding mentorship opportunities and strengthening the connection between education and the evolving needs of the economy.
The Nelt Group and UNICEF initiative is implemented for more than a year in Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina with an aim to make education systems in the region more resilient, inclusive, and better prepared to meet the demands of modern society and the labour market. In North Macedonia, the Nelt Group and UNICEF programme “Empowering Students Through Practical Learning and Climate Education” is advancing secondary vocational education by integrating green skills.