People with secondary education usually have a trade or are equipped with strong basic knowledge that can integrate well into the labor market compared to those with primary education. But in Albania, the labor force with secondary education has a higher unemployment rate than people with higher education and those with basic education.
According to INSTAT data, the unemployment rate among the workforce with secondary education was 13.4 percent in the last quarter of 2024, while among those with 8/9 years of education it was 10.6% and among those with higher education it was 8.4%.
The official unemployment rate in Albania, in the fourth quarter of 2024, for the population 15 years of age and older, is 8,8%, marking an annual decrease of 0,8 percentage points. At the secondary education level in our country, vocational education remains underdeveloped.
This branch provides a stronger preparation for professions and better integration into the labor market. In the 2023-2024 academic year, only 18 percent of students in secondary education were in vocational schools. Studies show that those who complete vocational education have higher employment rates than those with high school.
In the EU, countries, especially Germany, provide incentives to integrate students into vocational education and the labor market.
But in our country, since the education system is not linked to the labor market, it happens that with increasing educational levels, the difficulties in finding a job increase. The education system and the labor market have been in a vicious circle for years, as businesses accuse the government of not responding with education systems that are relevant to the labor market.
On the other hand, in university circles, professors believe that Albanian businesses are not developing branches of the economy that require high qualifications. A large part of students or young people who graduate from universities work in professions that do not require higher education, such as call centers, cashiers, waiters, etc.
The Albanian economy still has a competitive advantage in the free labor force and as a result, companies produce and export mainly low-value-added products (such as tailoring) that do not require a skilled workforce.
The lack of value-added jobs that require the engagement of professionals and pay well is considered one of the reasons why there is an increased emigration of skilled people. These conditions prevent young people from integrating into the labor market.
During the fourth quarter of 2024, the labor force participation rate for young people aged 15-29 is 53,6%. This indicator has increased by 2,0 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, and has decreased by 2,4 percentage points compared to the third quarter of 2024.
NOTE: The article is the intellectual property of Monitor.
