A Future Worth Staying For
How One Opportunity Changed Altela’s Future
In the quiet moments after her shifts at the supermarket, Altela Lamçe often wondered whether her years of study had been in vain. With her professional master’s degree in general nursing from the Faculty of Public Health, she had once pictured herself caring for patients and building a life in Albania.
Instead, she scanned groceries, her qualifications set aside like a distant dream. Like so many young people around her, she began to question whether things would ever improve-and whether the only real option was to leave the country.
Then came a decisive moment for her, made possible by the EU-supported Youth Guarantee Program. Thanks to outreach campaigns that identified young people not in education, training or employment and the joint work of the EU4Youth local coordinator and the Employment Office of Vlora, Altela was matched with an eye clinic.
For the first time, she stepped into a role that matched her training: working as a nurse. The change was immediate and deeply personal. No longer an outsider looking in, she applied her skills directly, learning the rhythms of patient care, sharpening her clinical judgment, and feeling the quiet pride in doing the work she had trained for.
This single opportunity did more than place her in a job. It restored her belief that her future could unfold in Albania. Her confidence grew with each day at the clinic. She moved from informal, unrelated work to qualified employment in her field, gaining the practical experience that turns a degree into a career. Colleagues noticed her growing assurance, and she noticed it, too. What had felt like a dead end became the first solid step toward a sustainable life in healthcare.
Targeted support is key. When young people who have lost faith are given a real chance to practice their profession at home, they stay, grow, and come to see Albania as a place where their dreams can take root.
Thanks to the European Union's investment in the Youth Guarantee, that chance reached Altela, carrying with it the quiet but powerful message that things can indeed get better.
#EU4Youth is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP Albania and UNICEF Albania, in collaboration with the National Employment and Skills Agency and the National Youth Agency, under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.
