Project Overview
EmpowerVET is a strategic capacity-building project addressing the structural mismatch between vocational education outcomes and labor market needs in Albania. Persistent skills gaps, limited entrepreneurial competencies, and insufficient digital integration have contributed to youth unemployment and underemployment. EmpowerVET responds by modernizing VET systems and strengthening collaboration between education, industry, and public institutions.
The project focuses on equipping learners and educators with key competences, entrepreneurial mindsets, and digital skills required to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.
Project Objectives
- Align VET curricula with current and future labor market demands
- Strengthen entrepreneurship education and innovation capacity
- Integrate digital technologies and tools into teaching and learning
- Enhance continuous professional development for VET teachers
- Foster sustainable cooperation between VET institutions, industry, and policymakers
Key Components & Activities
Curriculum Alignment & Innovation
EmpowerVET develops and updates learning materials to reflect labor market trends, embedding transversal skills, entrepreneurship, and applied digital competences into VET programs.
Teacher Training & Professional Development
Teachers benefit from structured training programs focused on:
- Modern pedagogical approaches
- Digital teaching tools
- Industry-relevant practices and methodologies
Digital Integration
The project introduces digital platforms and collaborative tools that support:
- Blended and online learning
- Knowledge sharing among educators
- Continuous curriculum improvement
Stakeholder Engagement
EmpowerVET actively involves businesses, SMEs, and public institutions in curriculum design, validation, and implementation, ensuring relevance and sustainability.
Our Role
A & I Services & Consulting participates as a project partner, contributing to:
- Coordination and implementation support
- Stakeholder engagement and dissemination
- Alignment of project outputs with national VET reform priorities
- Support in ensuring sustainability and transferability of results
Expected Results & Impact
- Improved relevance and quality of VET curricula
- Stronger entrepreneurial and digital competences among learners
- Enhanced teaching capacity and institutional performance
- Closer alignment between education systems and labor market needs
- A sustainable ecosystem supporting continuous VET improvement
Sustainability & Long-Term Impact
EmpowerVET ensures long-term impact through:
- Institutional adoption of updated curricula
- Continuous teacher training mechanisms
- Strong partnerships with industry and public authorities
- Scalable models adaptable to future reforms and funding programs
Consortium & Partners
The EmpowerVET consortium combines international and local expertise in education, innovation, and project management:
- University of Duisburg-Essen (Coordinator)
- Consellería de Educación, Ciencia, Universidades e Formación Profesional – Xunta de Galicia
- Ministry of Economy and Innovation
- European University of Tirana (UET)
- A & I Services & Consulting
