VETpreneur: Empowering VET Youth Through Job Shadowing in Slovenia
In April 2025, Junior Achievement Albania participated in a 10-day job shadowing program in Slovenia under the VETpreneur Project. The program brought together learners, educators, and management staff from Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina, immersing them in Slovenia’s dynamic entrepreneurial and vocational education ecosystem.
9 participants from Albania engaged with innovative entrepreneurs, observed daily business operations, and joined practical workshops on integrating the EntreComp Framework — the European model for entrepreneurial competence — into teaching and learning. This framework helps educators and youth connect education with labor market needs, fostering employability, innovation, and entrepreneurial mindsets.
The program combined professional learning with cultural exchange, offering participants a rich experience across educational, business, and cultural institutions:
Main Host & Training Venue
🏫 Izobraževalni Center Geoss, Litija – Training sessions, workshops, program coordination
Cultural & Educational Visits
City Museum, Litija – Local history and heritage
🌿 Ecomuseum of the Seasonal Lakes of Pivka – Nature conservation & cultural heritage
🪚 Lesarius Museum, Velika Preska – Traditional woodworking techniques
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Hubs
💡 Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia – Regional development initiatives
📈 RRA Zasavje, Zagorje ob Savi – Local economic growth strategies
🚀 Zasavje Business Incubator, Trbovlje – Startup support & business programs
🏢 KIKštarter Kamnik – Co-working & entrepreneurship hub
Business & Craft Enterprises
🍯 Beekeeping Dremelj, Šmartno pri Litiji – Sustainable beekeeping practices
🏭 Herz d.o.o., Šmartno pri Litiji – Local manufacturing expertise
🪑 Carpentry Kos, Velika Preska – Traditional craftsmanship & business heritage
Historical & Natural Sites
⛏️ Mine Sitarjevec, Litija – Guided tour of historic mining site
Project Consortium Institutions
The VETpreneur Project is implemented by a consortium of leading organizations across the Western Balkans and Europe:
Junior Achievement Serbia (Coordinator)
Western Balkans Institute
Izobraževalni Center Geoss (Slovenia)
Center for Social Innovation
Junior Achievement Montenegro
Zavod za školstvo Podgorica (Montenegro)
Inkubator društvenih inovacija MUNJA (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Asocijacija za ekonomski razvoj REDAH (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Privredna komora Republike Srpske (Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska)
Junior Achievement Albania
Junior Achievement Europe
Junior Achievement Albania extends its sincere thanks to Center Geoss for their warm hospitality, and to all the companies and institutions that opened their doors, shared their expertise, and offered participants a hands-on insight into entrepreneurship, innovation, and vocational education in Slovenia.