According to the UNDP report, 82 per cent of unemployed people in Kosovo have no work experience, while 57 per cent of them are illiterate.
The problem of youth unemployment is one of the most pressing issues in Kosovo. According to UNDP, in Kosovo only 31 per cent of the population is employed. Problem is, as they say, an insufficient number of educated people.
Djordje Borisavljevic is a third year student at a technical college in North Mitrovica. He said that after the completion of the Secondary technical school, he did not doubt whether he should enrol in a college.
“One of the main reasons why I enrolled in college is the problem of finding a job with a high school education. Although my profession is widespread, and university degree opens up many possibilities, today for my generation is very difficult to find a job, especially since there are fewer state-owned companies and more private ones.”
Due to the high youth unemployment in Kosovo, UNDP, in collaboration with the Norwegian government organized a program called “Active labour market for young people”, whose first phase was completed after eight years.
“The biggest problem is that 82 per cent of unemployed people in Kosovo have no experience, of which 57 per cent are uneducated. This program, which included public works, subsidies for employment and job training, gave young people the chance to gain some experience and to get the job easier. Potential and opportunities exist but it needs to be properly utilized,” said Norwegian Ambassador Jan Bratu.
The program is supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of Kosovo.
“This is the completion of the project that lasted for a longer period of time. The Norwegian government will no longer be a donor, but the Finnish government, which means the project will continue, just the main donor will change. We were one of the donors and in the last session, and will continue with the funding,” said Nenad Rasic, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare of the Government of Kosovo.
In the “Active labour market for young people” program more than 11 thousand people participated. The least employment opportunities have young people from 15 to 19 years, those with lower education, those without experience, as well as welfare beneficiaries, according to UNDP research, whose main goal in the future in addition to the human, is and the development of institutional capacity.
