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DRUPWB

A non-formal vocational education and training curriculum developed within the DRUPWB project

Published

The project Digital Response to Unemployment Problems in Western Balkan (DRUPWB), launched by partner organisations from Lithuania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro and Germany, sets out to improve the labour market skills of young people through vocational education and training (VET).  One of its key activities is developing an innovative STEM-based curriculum, with particular emphasis on four areas:

  • Virtual assistants – gives learners the skills needed for administrative, organisational and communication tasks in a digital environment.
  • Programmers (basic level) – provides the foundational knowledge and skills in programming that let young people start a career in the technology sector.
  • Self-employment – designed for those who want to start a business of their own, giving them the basic tools and resources to do so successfully.
  • Starting and running a small business – offers detailed guidance for entrepreneurs who want to start and run a small business, from managing finances to marketing and business planning.

The curriculum rests on a comprehensive report analysing and mapping the non-formal curricula already in place in each partner country. On the basis of detailed research and the data collected, it was designed and adapted to be universally applicable in all the participating countries, taking into account the specific needs of local labour markets and vocational education. Building the curriculum on the results of that mapping and analysis made it possible to create educational programmes that are relevant and matched to the real needs of the modern labour market. The modules are designed to be flexible and adaptable, so that young people acquire practical, sought-after skills that will ease their entry into the labour market or encourage entrepreneurial activity. The curriculum will be available in English and in the other languages of the countries involved in the project.

DRUPWB is an important step forward in connecting vocational education with the real needs of employers and the labour market in the Western Balkans. An approach of this kind, resting on detailed analysis and the adaptation of educational programmes, contributes to better competences among young people, lower unemployment and the development of digital skills, all of which are crucial for the region’s sustainable economic development.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.