The Role of Vocational Education and Training in Bridging the Skills Gap in the Labour Market

Vocational Education and Training plays a vital role in nurturing human capital and addressing the skills gap. Kosovo faces a high youth unemployment rate and a shortage of skilled employees in firms, indicating an education-to-labor market mismatch. This research explores Vocational Education and Training schools\u27 potential in facilitating youth transition to employment through qualitative interviews with school coordinators across Kosovo. Despite Vocational Education and Training schools having a great potential for bridging the skills gap, they face barriers such as curriculum-labor market misalignment, limited business cooperation affecting dual education, low student motivation, and limited public awareness about Vocational Education and Training \u27s role in youth employability