Youth employment: handicrafts

The handicraft is spread all over Albania, but the Association of Artisans of Artistic Works of Albania confirms that 80% of the Albanian handicraft production is concentrated in the regions of Shkodra and Lezha (Zadrima subregion). However, the know-how of these old professions that once contributed to a large share of the country’s economy now is at great risk of disappearing as a result of a decrease on the demand in the area of internet and digitalization. Thus, we aim to promote an alternative way by fostering youth skills and capabilities in handicrafts tools like handlooms, filigree, embroidery, weaving and empowering them to use innovative promotion strategies for successful business initiatives.
For example, the filigree technique is worked only by 2 old persons in Shkoder, meanwhile before ‘90s there were hundreds of people that worked at the Factory of Artistic in Shkoder and thousands of artisans before ‘30s in Bazaar of Shkoder. It is almost lost as tradition; therefore, we propose to have study visit in Prizren as it is more safeguard there…

Similarly to the rest of the Western Balkan countries, Albania is currently facing huge challenges related to youth unemployment, a great risk of brain drain and aging population due to migration and a centralized support toward developing an effective entrepreneurial ecosystem focused in the capital city of the country, Tirana. High youth unemployment across the country reflects not only the economic difficulties of the region, but also a failure of the current national education system in matching youth skills with the needs of the labour market. The overall goal of our proposal aims to facilitate the access into the handcrafting labour market for young rural people in Shkoder region. Our main objectives consist in developing professional skills and competencies in handicrafts for youth and especially girls/women in rural areas in Shkoder region; providing tailored mentoring for strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystem in Shkoder region; and fostering young entrepreneur’s skills in e-marketing. Through tailored mentoring, trainings on innovative entrepreneurships, trainings about e-marketing, study trips in Shkoder and Prizren, internship programs, and other networking events we expect to develop professional skills and competencies in handicrafts for youth in Shkoder region, created jobs and opportunities for youth in 4 start-ups and also create a solid entrepreneurship ecosystem in Shkoder. The main target groups and beneficiaries of our proposal are young unemployed with a skill mismatch in the labour market of Shkoder region, particularly youth (age 15 – 29) and women Shkoder, VET schools, centres for vocational education, handicrafts owners.