In Montenegro, around 56% of young people think that school has only prepared them ‘a little’ or ‘not at all’ for future studies or employment (UNICEF, ETF, 2021). Additionally, young people who only have primary education can take up to 61 months to complete the school-to-work transition (ILO, 2020) and there’s a lack of systemic policymaking and budgeting for secondary school programmes around career guidance and experiential learning. 

The TUI Academy Montenegro aims to help fill this gap by providing a meaningful learning and employability programme which is part of the mainstream secondary school curriculum. It successfully prepares young people for the labour market while also minimising the ongoing impact of the pandemic and reducing the risk of young people becoming NEETs (not in education, employment or training). 

By September 2026, it will have provided 1200 secondary-school students aged 16-19 with on-the-job training, skills building and career guidance.  

To strengthen awareness of the opportunities created by education and tourism, the TUI Academy Montenegro is being piloted across two schools, one in the south and one in the north of the country, which are areas with expansive tourism potential. A network of private sector hosts will also support the programme and be extended beyond the current network of 80+ companies and organisations. Both UNICEF and TUI Group will build on their partnerships to increase the opportunities available.  

The programme also aims to enrich collaboration with the government of Montenegro and the EU delegation to Montenegro across complementary programmatic areas.