Albanian Skills
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| Abbreviation | AS-NASC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2014 as an initiative; 1 February 2018 as an association |
| Type | Non-profit association |
| Purpose | Promotion of vocational skills, youth employability, innovation and entrepreneurship |
| Headquarters | Tirana, Albania |
Region served | Albania |
| Fields |
|
Key people | Ana Zacharian |
| Website | www |
Albanian Skills, formally Albanian Skills – National Association for Skills Competitions (AS-NASC), is a non-profit association in Albania that organises national skills competitions and promotes vocational education, youth employability, innovation and entrepreneurship.[1][2]
The organisation began in 2014 as an Albanian-Swiss initiative of Albanian and Swiss professionals and was formally established as an association on 1 February 2018.[3] It is best known for organising the Albanian National Skills Competitions and Albanian Skills Week, events dedicated to vocational skills, youth talent and professional development.[1][4]
History
Albanian Skills started in 2014 as an independent Albanian-Swiss initiative without economic aims, created to promote the skills of young people in Albania.[3] According to the organisation, its aim was to improve the recognition and status of vocational education and training in Albanian society by organising annual skills competitions.[3]
The first Albanian National Skills Competitions were established in 2015.[5] Business Magazine Albania described Albanian Skills as an independent Albanian-Swiss initiative focused on promoting professional skills and lifelong learning, and reported on the fifth edition of the event in 2019.[6]
On 1 February 2018, the initiative was established as Albanian Skills – National Association for Skills Competitions, founded by Albanian companies and individuals to expand its work in support of young people and vocational skills development.[3]
Activities
National Skills Competitions
Albanian Skills organises the Albanian National Skills Competitions, which are designed to showcase the skills of young people in different professional fields. The EU Digital Skills and Jobs Platform describes the organisation as bringing together senior and young professionals, locals and internationals, to organise annual skills competitions in Albania for young people aged 16 to 25 in different trades.[1]
The European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training describes Albanian Skills as a non-profit association organising Albania's national skills competitions and promoting vocational skills, innovation and entrepreneurship among youth and young professionals.[2]
Competition categories have included fields such as software development, web development, graphic design, photography, hotel and restaurant service, cooking and pastry, and other vocational or creative disciplines.[7][8]
The competitions have also been used in international vocational education projects. A V2V-AL project report stated that a national VET skills competition organised by Albanian Skills was used to award six Erasmus+ long-term mobility places in Italy and France to recent vocational education graduates.[8]
Albanian Skills Week
Albanian Skills launched the first Albanian Skills Week from 7 to 12 May 2018, inspired by the European Vocational Skills Week.[5] The first edition included 21 events and brought together more than 1,000 participants, including vocational education learners and teachers, university students and professors, young professionals, unemployed people, VET experts and professionals from other fields.[5]
The European Training Foundation reported that Albanian Skills Week was initiated by Albanian Skills in 2018 and was organised annually, including during the COVID-19 pandemic years. The 2022 edition was held under the slogan "#Skills4GreenTransition" and focused on green transition, sustainable development and education for skills and careers.[4]
International cooperation
Albanian Skills has participated in international vocational education networks and projects. The V2V-AL project report described AS-NASC as an "innovative Skills from All Promotion and Development Platform" initiated in 2014 by skills experts and professionals from different trades.[8] The same report stated that Albanian Skills became a member of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships in 2018 and later participated in the ETF Skills Experts Lab and the Pact for Skills.[8]
The report also stated that winners or participants linked to Albanian Skills competitions had taken part in exchanges and study visits connected with EuroSkills events in Gothenburg in 2016, Budapest in 2018 and Graz in 2021.[8]
Mobility and VET projects
Albanian Skills has been involved in projects related to international mobility, vocational education and youth employability. The V2V-AL project reported that since 2019, through an EU-funded project, Albanian Skills built capacity in hosting and sending services for students and staff between Albania and EU countries.[8]
The organisation has also been one of the partner civil-society organisations in SkillALB, a programme for digital, professional and entrepreneurial skills for Albanian youth employment. ENGIM Albania states that SkillALB aims to improve the employability of vulnerable young people by enhancing professional, digital, entrepreneurial and life skills, while also supporting vocational education and training in Albania.[9] Junior Achievement of Albania describes SkillALB as a national multi-partner initiative funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, focused on young people aged 15–35 in vocational education or seeking employment.[10]
Competitions and editions
Albanian Skills has held annual or periodic national competitions since 2015. The organisation's website lists editions from 2015 onward, including editions in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.[11]
In 2018, the fourth edition of the Albanian Skills Competitions was held at Tirana Business Park and included categories such as hotel and restaurant service, graphic design, photography and software development.[7] The 2018 Skills Week programme also included workshops, forums and partner events on innovation, tourism, geospatial intelligence, green thinking and entrepreneurship.[12]
In 2020, the sixth edition of the competition was held at Tirana Business Park. Epoka University reported that students from the university won first place in the web development category and were selected to represent Albania at EuroSkills 2021 in Austria.[13]
Organisation
Albanian Skills is based in Tirana and operates as a non-profit association.[2] The organisation's website identifies Ana Zacharian as initiator, co-founder and CEO of Albanian Skills – National Association for Skills Competitions.[14]
See also
- Vocational education
- Vocational education in Albania
- WorldSkills
- EuroSkills
- European Training Foundation
- Education in Albania
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "AlbanianSkills-National Association for Skills Competitions (NASC)". Digital Skills and Jobs Platform. European Commission. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Albanian Skills-National Association for Skills Competitions". European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "About". Albanian Skills. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Skills Week 2022 in Albania". ETF Open Space. European Training Foundation. 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "First Albanian Skills Week". Albanian Skills. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Nën moton "We promote skills" nis edicioni i 5-të i Albanian Skills". Business Magazine Albania (in shqip). 9 May 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Albanian Skills Competitions 2018". Albanian Skills. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "Skills Competition Report" (PDF). V2V-AL Project. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "SkillALB". ENGIM Albania. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "SkillALB – Multiple Skills Programme for Albanian Youth". Junior Achievement of Albania. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Albanian Skills". Albanian Skills. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Albanian Skills Week 2018". Albanian Skills. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Epoka University Students will represent Albania in European Skills 2021 in Austria". Epoka University. 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ↑ "Ana Zacharian". Albanian Skills. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
External links
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