Skills That Bring People Home—and Help Them Stay

Financed by the Joint SDG Fund

January 28, 2026

Skills That Bring People Home—and Help Them Stay — UNDP Albania awarded certificates to 20 young people completing their vocational training at Shen Jozefi VET school in Rreshen.

UNDP Albania

When Klint Reci returned to Albania, he wasn’t just coming back to Rrëshen (Mirditë). He was returning with a question shared by many young people who have spent years searching for opportunities elsewhere: what now?

At 30, Klint decided to invest in himself. He enrolled in a professional cooking course delivered by the Vocational High School “Shën Jozefi Punëtor”, as part of a UNDP-supported project focused on the social and economic reintegration of vulnerable youth in the Lezha region. Funded through a UNDP grant under the LEAP Albania programme—a joint initiative of UNDP, UNICEF, and ILO supported by the Joint SDG Fund—the project helps young people build skills that lead directly to employment in the tourism and hospitality sector.

The training combined intensive theoretical learning with hands-on practice, equipping participants with job-ready skills in food preparation, HACCP hygiene standards, workplace safety, and professional communication. Beyond technical training, Klint also took part in soft and digital skills sessions, including teamwork, problem-solving, and job readiness—key elements designed to ease the transition into the labour market.

During his traineeship with a local hospitality business, Klint worked in fast-food production, quickly standing out for his discipline, reliability, and ability to meet real market demands. But the impact of the programme went beyond the workplace.

Back home in Rrëshen, Klint faced a family crisis. His father’s health problems had placed their small business at risk of closing. Armed with new skills and renewed confidence, Klint stepped in—reorganizing daily operations, improving food quality, and introducing clearer work processes. Slowly, stability returned.

Today, Klint is fully employed, managing the family business and planning next steps to grow further in the culinary field. What began as vocational training became a pathway to independence and resilience.

For Alesio Prendi, opportunity came earlier—but it mattered just as much.

Still a student, Alesio joined the same UNDP-supported cooking course, gaining practical experience in food preparation, hygiene standards, and service ethics. Shortly after completing the training, he secured a job close to home in Lezhë, working after school hours.

Balancing school and work is not easy, but Alesio approaches it with determination. His income helps support his family, while the job allows him to continue building professional skills in a real working environment—an early but critical step toward long-term employability.

“These stories show how targeted investments in skills can make an immediate difference,” says Eno Ngjela, Programme Specialist at UNDP. “By combining vocational training with soft skills, traineeships, and close cooperation with local businesses, we are helping young people move from exclusion to opportunity. This is a great value of this Joint SDG funded project, and we are very grateful for their strategic support through LEAP.”

Klint and Alesio are among 50 vulnerable youth aged 15–29 targeted by the project—many from families receiving Economic Aid or classified as NEET (not in employment, education, or training). The initiative aims to ensure that at least half of participants transition into employment within months of completing their traineeships, through partnerships with local tourism and hospitality businesses across the Lezha region.

Together, their journeys show what happens when vocational training is accessible, practical, and rooted in community needs. With the right support, skills become more than certificates—they become tools for stability, dignity, and lasting change.

Mirditë is one of eleven partner municipalities of the LEAP Albania programme (Lifelong Empowerment and Protection in Albania). Implemented jointly by UNDP, UNICEF, and ILO, in partnership with the Government of Albania and funded by the Joint SDG Fund, LEAP is driving systemic change by strengthening pathways to social protection, employment, and inclusion for vulnerable groups across the country.