30 years, 30+ stories: North Macedonia - Advancing vocational education and training on the road to EU accession

Landlocked by its many neighbours—Greece, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Serbia, and Albania—North Macedonia lies at a historically important crossroads, making it a key transit route for migratory movements. This geography has resulted in a complex population mix: Albanians constitute the largest minority group (24%), while Turks, Roma, Serbs, Bosniaks, and Aromanians are also significant ethnic groups in the country. 

North Macedonia's post-COVID-19 economic recovery has been slow, with GDP growth declining from 2.2% in 2022 to 1% in 2023. The informal economy remains significant, potentially accounting for 38% of GDP. In 2023, the services sector—particularly trade, transport, and hotels and restaurants—was the main driver of growth, while the share of agriculture continued to decline.

Vocational education and training as a hook for EU alignment 

As North Macedonia charts its course towards European Union membership, the country's commitment to modernising its vocational education and training (VET) system is crucial for aligning with the EU VET agenda and improving the prospects of both its youth and adult population.

'North Macedonia is fully engaged in EU cooperation on VET and aligned with its priorities, currently laid out in the so-called VET Recommendation and Osnabrueck Declaration, both from 2020' says Lisa Rustico, ETF human capital development expert and Country Liaison for North Macedonia.  

'The country began participating in the EU monitoring process of its VET policies almost ten years ago. This process has become an inspiration for more effective planning of VET modernisation in line with Europe's strategic goals and objectives,' adds Nadica Kostoska, Deputy Head of Sector for the European Union at the Ministry of Education and Science of North Macedonia. 

Rustico points out that 'in recent years, some developments have been in the areas of work-based learning, support for teachers' professional development and inclusive education.' However, implementation remains modest, similarly to other Western Balkan countries, and key reforms have yet to be adopted. 'Further steps are needed, among others, to activate the validation of non-formal and informal learning services, to make VET fit for the green and digital transition, and last but not least to make the regional VET centres operational,' Rustico says. 

'The establishment of the Regional VET Centres is a strategic objective in the process of rationalising investment in VET, and the European Training Foundation (ETF) plays a crucial role in supporting Macedonian institutions to achieve excellence in this field,' says Kostoska. 'Undoubtedly, in ETF we can find a partner to better exploit the opportunities of digital transformation by promoting innovation, sustainability and easier access to cutting-edge technology in VET.' 

North Macedonia's steps to improve its VET system 

'In recent years, VET has been high on the agenda of education policy makers and institutions. The successful implementation of dual education, a key milestone, has paved the way for a comprehensive policy that addresses the need for more attractive, relevant and harmonised VET with labour market needs,' says Goran Spasovski, Director General for Vocational Education and Training (DGVT) for the Republic of North Macedonia.  

The newly drafted education laws will introduce several innovations to better align education with the demands of the workforce. These include the introduction of career counselors, VET coordinators, and a unique student identification number. 'Significant efforts have been made to increase enrolment in vocational education, resulting in 67.3% of secondary school students choosing vocational schools over high schools in the 2023/2024 academic year,' Kostoska stated. 

'The new principles and practices have enabled a significant increase in cooperation between VET schools and the business community, chambers of commerce, chambers of trade and industry and other stakeholders. As a result, many company mentors have been trained to support the implementation of quality education for students involved in work-based learning in the company environment,' Spasovski adds. 

In terms of priority benchmarks for alignment with the EU standards, Spasovski emphasises the importance of establishing centres of excellence in vocational education and training as institutions that enhance networking between vocational schools, businesses and local authorities. 

'We aim to increase the capacity of the regional centres. For example, they are not yet working on the validation of non-formal and informal learning, but we expect them to do so in the future.' Spasovski continues, 'We also want the centres to be more active in providing post-secondary and adult education through the modularisation of curricula.' 

Spasovski emphasises the regional disparities, noting that three regions still lack Regional VET Centres, making reliable external support essential to achieving these ambitious goals. This is where the role of the ETF becomes crucial.

'The ETF's policy advice is crucial due to the large volume of activities and the complexity of the expertise that needs to be provided in the process,' says Spasovski. 

A pioneer in the region: the success of the Youth Guarantee (YG) in North Macedonia 

Following the introduction and subsequent roll-out of the Youth Guarantee (the first time in a non-EU country), the rate of young people aged 15-29 not in education, employment and training (NEETs) fell significantly from nearly 30% in 2018 to 24.1% in 2023.

The new government, formed in 2024, is committed to further improving the implementation of the Youth Guarantee in line with the 2020 Council Recommendation 'A Bridge to Jobs - Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee'. 

Since 2018, more than 110,000 young people have registered for the Youth Guarantee in North Macedonia, with approximately 38% (43,667 young people) receiving offers of employment, further education or training, or internships, 'thus achieving the targets set in the National Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan,' says Goran Petkovski, Head of Unit at the Employment Service Agency (ESA) of the Republic of North Macedonia.

'The support received from ETF and ILO in the past years of YG implementation has been of great value. The organisation of trainings, workshops and study visits on different phases of the YG programme has helped us to better understand the scheme, to implement the reforms and initiatives under the YGIP as well as the support in the process of strengthening institutional capacities,' Petkovski added. 

'This means that the Youth Guarantee in North Macedonia is comparable to that of EU countries in terms of positive and timely exits and sustainability of offers over time,' he continues. 'Overall, the implementation of the YG in North Macedonia has produced positive results for young women and men, also thanks to the EU funds invested over the years.' 

According to Petkovski, the main differences between his country and the average of EU countries are due to the still limited capacity of his agency in terms of financial and, above all, human resources. 'The data indicate that as the coverage of the YG increases, its effectiveness decreases. This is partly due to the absorptive capacity of the North Macedonian labour market, but also to the persistent lack of reforms in areas that are known to make a difference, namely the human and financial resources available to the ESA,' he stresses. 

Petkovski points out that the main challenge remains engaging with inactive NEETs who don't register, many of whom have caregiving responsibilities or lack awareness that jobs are available. Despite good results from methods used so far—such as mobile teams, outreach workers, social networks, and information events—he believes that involving other partners, such as youth and Roma NGOs, educational institutions, and social support centres, could help develop a more comprehensive strategy to address the remaining challenges.

In all the reforms and implementation plans crucial to the country's education sector, the human touch remains at the core of every effort.

'We believe that cooperation with the ETF will be crucial in providing equal opportunities for the employability and personal development of VET students,' says Kostoska.