Minister Ibrahimaj: The government is dedicated to supporting the development of education and professional development

The construction of new premises is part of the German Federal Government's support for education and professional training in Kamez, which is implemented by the KfW Development Bank.

In her address, Minister Ibrahimaj thanked the German government for the support and expressed the commitment of the Albanian government to continue supporting the development of education and professional training in the country.

"The government of Albania has invested and will continue to invest in strengthening the capacity of vocational schools, in cooperation with our international partners, in order to keep up with the times and offer the labor market what it is looking for," said Ibrahimaj.

Kamza Vocational School is the largest vocational school in the country, with around 1,500 registered students and eight basic courses, which include the most sought-after on the labor market, IT and tourism.

In recent years, the labor market has developed tremendously and the required skills are different from those of a few years ago.

Minister Ibrahimaj highlighted the fact that the Government invests in some sectors of the economy, such as the construction of ports or marinas, airports, with the aim of increasing the development of tourism, which will bring increased demand for qualified personnel.

According to her, the cooperation of vocational schools with businessmen is very important, and the Kamza vocational school cooperates with about 160 business entities, where vocational education students do internships, work part-time or are employed after completing their studies.

"Vocational school and professional education should be seen as a primary alternative, because it gives all students a background and an advantage on the labor market compared to general education. This does not mean that the person who completes vocational school will not attend college, but that he will start college with much more money and capacity than the one who completes general education", said the minister.

Ambassador Zingraf pointed out that cooperation between vocational schools and private companies is important, because it is necessary for students to acquire the skills required by the country's economy".

"To make this possible, the German government has supported the education and vocational training sector in Albania through:

a) dedicated technical assistance at the institutional level for the preparation of quality curricula and programs oriented to the labor market through GIZ

b) investments in study facilities and physical infrastructure through KfW, such as the ones we are starting to build today, here in Kamez", said the ambassador.

 

While the director of KfW for Southeast Europe and Turkey, Müller reiterated the importance of the sector for the Government of Albania, adding that the profiles that will be given in the new school premises have been carefully selected based on the needs of the labor market and that the practice in the new and best equipped workshops will improve the chances for the employment of graduates of the Multifunctional Center Kamza and thus contribute to the sustainable economic development of Kamza and the surrounding villages and towns.

The Vocational School in Kamez will have 20 new or renovated classrooms, as well as 15 classrooms for advanced teaching (laboratory, workshop, etc.) with new and state-of-the-art equipment. This will provide the necessary space for elite education of 1,800 students per year, as well as additional opportunities for adult training.

The multifunctional center Kamza is a true example for the future of vocational education and training in Albania, combining vocational education in school with additional training programs for various companies and unemployed people.