How can someone enter a formal apprenticeship in Kosovo after lower-secondary school?

A learner normally completes Grade 9 and applies for an IAAP programme beginning in Grade 10. The relevant institution or municipality sets capacity and selection arrangements, and no single nationwide admission examination has been established in the available evidence.

How does dual apprenticeship in Kosovo differ from school-based vocational education?

School-based vocational education places most learning in an institution, while dual apprenticeship combines school learning with structured company training. Dual programmes normally last three years and place more than half of the learning time in a company, subject to the availability of a suitable employer.

Which bodies certify and quality-check a vocational apprenticeship in Kosovo?

The National Qualifications Authority validates or approves the qualification and oversees accreditation, quality assurance and certification. The provider or assessment body must be accredited for the qualification to receive national recognition, while MASH/DVET and AVETAE handle policy and implementation responsibilities.

Can an adult obtain a new vocational qualification through Kosovo’s employment training centres?

A registered jobseeker can generally access free vocational training through APRK’s QAP centres. This pathway supports requalification and employment, but it is not automatically equivalent to completing a three-year IAAP apprenticeship.

Does completing an apprenticeship in Kosovo guarantee a job or a further training place?

No. A recognised NQF certificate or diploma can support employment and further progression, but the available evidence does not establish an automatic job entitlement or guaranteed access to another apprenticeship place.

Apprenticeship in Kosovo

Apprenticeship in Kosovo forms part of Arsimi dhe Aftësimi Profesional (AAP), the country’s vocational education and training system. Formal programmes usually last two years at NQF level 3 or three years at NQF level 4 after Grade 9. School-based and dual pathways combine occupational theory with practical learning, but a training place with a company is not guaranteed nationwide.

byEra&Ilir

Formal vocational education is provided through Institucionet e Arsimit dhe Aftësimit Profesional (IAAP), which include public and private vocational schools, Qendër e Kompetencës institutions and other approved providers. Students normally enter from lower secondary education after Grade 9 and begin at Grade 10. Each IAAP or municipality may apply its own capacity and selection rules; research has not established a single nationwide admission examination. Programmes are based on occupational standards, national curricula and labour-market demand. Common fields include software application development, solar photovoltaic systems, forestry, agribusiness, vehicle mechanics, tourism and travel, woodworking, electrical installation, heating and cooling, water systems, recycling and graphic design. Formal vocational qualifications range from NQF levels 3 to 5, while the Kosovo Qualifications Framework has eight levels overall. Qualifications are organised around learning outcomes and modules and may carry credit values. School-based programmes deliver much of the learning in an institution. Dual apprenticeship adds structured workplace learning with a company, workplace instructors and practical performance assessment. Dual programmes normally last three years and require more than half of the learning time to take place in a company. In 2024, the dual model covered 12 profiles, 23 vocational schools and 14 municipalities with 920 students. The first cohort in 2025 was reported with 52% of learning in apprenticeship or workplace-based learning, followed by theoretical and practical examinations and certification. Company capacity differs by municipality, so smaller communities may offer fewer placements. The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation and its Division for Vocational Education and Training handle policy, curricula and IAAP matters. AVETAE supports implementation in vocational and adult education. The National Qualifications Authority (NQA) manages the national qualifications framework, validation, accreditation, quality assurance and certification. Municipalities and municipal education directorates have local school responsibilities. The Council for Vocational Education and Adult Education provides tripartite advice, while the Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo supports employment services and training through Qendër e Aftësimit Profesional centres. A nationally recognised qualification requires an NQA-validated or approved qualification and an accredited provider or assessment body. The NQA can monitor and audit quality, although responsibilities and quality-assurance arrangements remain fragmented. Practical assessment may take place in both an institution and a company. A completed pathway can lead to an NQF certificate or diploma and is intended to support employment and further progression, but it does not guarantee a job or another apprenticeship place. Workplace learning should provide safe conditions and appropriate supervision. Programme rules may provide accident insurance and transport support, including through a specific grant for workplace-based learning. Career counselling is available in IAAP institutions; in 2024, about 23 career centres and 30 trained career counsellors were reported. Public IAAP fees were not presented consistently in the available sources. For the 2026/27 school year, MASH announced 100 scholarships for Grade 10 IAAP students: 50 euros per month or 500 euros per school year excluding July and August, subject to the published criteria, with places linked to 70 shortage occupations and 30 places for girls in technical fields. Support can continue for up to three years under those criteria. Adults can use Qendër e Aftësimit Profesional (QAP) training as a shorter requalification or labour-market pathway. APRK operates eight QAP centres, and registered jobseekers can generally access these vocational trainings free of charge. In 2024, 2,104 referrals and 1,545 certifications were reported, a certification rate of 73.4%. QAP training is primarily an employment measure and is not automatically equivalent to a three-year IAAP qualification. Njohja e Mësimit Paraprak (NjMP), or recognition of prior learning, can assess knowledge, skills and competences gained through formal, non-formal or informal learning. Under the applicable framework, assessment may provide access to a vocational qualification, but it does not automatically grant a full apprenticeship completion certificate. Planned reforms, including possible closer integration of NQA and AVETAE, should not be treated as current law until formally adopted.

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