The Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Macedonia, Sybille Suter, together with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Zoran Zaev and the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia, Arber Ademi, today in Skopje marked the start of the Education for Employment in Macedonia Project (E4E@mk). The Project is supported by Switzerland and it aims to stimulate employment by improving the vocational skills in the country.
Speaking about the importance of the existence of a vocational skills development system in a country, the Swiss Ambassador, Suter, explained that the aim of this project is not to introduce the Swiss model in Macedonia, but rather, by adapting certain relevant elements from the Swiss system, to develop a separate vocational skills development system that will be characteristic for Macedonia. “One such element is the partnership principlе.” stated the Ambassador Suter. “The partnership between the vocational schools and the private sector is crucial for making sure that the youth acquire the skills needed by employers and which will therefore help them gain employment more easily. This is why the involvement of the private sector is at the core of our project.“
"That is why our generation of politicians, parents, professors, scientists, academics, business people – we have an obligation to fight together with all forces and to work in order to pave their way towards success and progress. That is what young people strongly expect from us. These inititatives supported by our friends from the Embassy of Switzerland and the Ambassador Sybille Suter Tejada are a proof that we are on the right path.” said the Prime Minister Zaev.
Representatives of the relevant ministries and educational institutions, secondary vocational schools, units of the local self-government, as well as representatives of the business sector and the civil society organizations, participated in the official event that marked the start of the E4E@mk Project.
In his address, the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia, Arber Ademi, underlined that “every educational measure, project or activity should contribute to the development and improvement of the quality of the national system and offer new educational opportunities for the citizens, that should also have a part in bridging the gap between the actual demand and the supply of human capital in the labour market.”
In the next 10 years the project will be implemented by Helvetas Macedonia, Macedonian Civic Education Center (MCEC) and the Economic Chamber of Macedonia, and its aim is to enable more citizens, especially young people, to acquire high quality vocational education and training, as well as to provide assistance in the development of vocational skills that will contribute to the increase the employment in the country. During the first four years of the implementation of the project, 2,250 persons, most of whom young people, are expected to gain employment due to improved vocational skills.
