TIRANA, Feb 4 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Wednesday that around 1,600 people have been permanently employed in the state administration through the National Work Internship Programme, which has been running for a decade now.
Speaking at the closing event of the programme’s 10th call for applications, the government head underlined that the scheme has helped convert work experience into employment for high-performing students, providing the public sector with qualified human resources.
“About 1,600 people have been permanently employed in the state administration through this programme,” Rama said, adding that the figure was significant given the size of the public administration. He described the beneficiaries as high-quality human capital with the potential to become future heads of departments, units and directorates.
Rama said the programme was designed as a bridge from university to public service, giving top students an entry point to actively present themselves as prospective civil servants.
He added that the initiative had helped overcome a long-standing obstacle faced by young people seeking to enter the civil service, namely the requirement for prior work experience.
“To enter public administration you needed experience, but without entering it you had no way to gain experience. In a sense, the programme has ensured that transition,” Rama said.
The Prime Minister congratulated those who secured one-year employment contracts and encouraged them to continue striving for permanent positions in the public administration.
He also urged applicants who were not selected not to be discouraged, stressing that the process is merit-based, while acknowledging that, like any system, it has shortcomings that the government seeks to address year by year.
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