Senad Ramaj, who comes from the minority Egyptian community in Kosovo, describes his experience as an intern with USAID’s Up to Youth activity as a journey that brought him closer to his dream job. Up to Youth’s internship program is designed to offer youth, mainly from vulnerable populations, opportunities to build relevant life skills and better prepare youth for the workplace.
“Today’s labor market is dynamic, involves technology, and changes rapidly, presenting several challenges to young adults transitioning from school to the workplace,” says Senad. “But the challenges are even greater for the minority population like myself.” Since May 2021, Senad has been employed full-time as a mediator with the non-governmental organization, the Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians. “I love my job because I now have the opportunity to positively contribute to my own community, and I am able to apply all the skills I learned through so many training sessions with Up to Youth.”
Senad joined Up to Youth in 2020 as part of the Klinë/a youth cohort and completed several training sessions on soft skills and entrepreneurship before taking a six-month internship with Up to Youth. “Not many people from my community finish their education or attend informal training. I know it’s not easy for them, but I wish they would. I wish for them to become professionals in various fields.” Senad’s ambition is a great example of how youth can contribute to changing trends and become an example for the rest of their community.
Nearly 20 youth from vulnerable communities have received internships through Up to Youth. To date, more than half of the interns have immediately found full-time jobs and other engagements after completing the internship.
Global Communities for USAIDKosovo