INTERVIEW: Five resource centers for vocational education institutions are being formed in the Vitebsk region

I WENT TO VOCATIONAL SCHOOL – LET THEM TEACH ME! Today, vocational education institutions are experiencing a new surge in popularity among school leavers. Moreover, it is not only educational institutions located in Minsk, regional centers, and large cities that are in demand. Colleagues from rural areas are offering worthy competition in the race for applicants. Ivan Shchurok, Head of the Education Department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, told a BELTA correspondent in an interview what drives the trend for vocational education among modern youth and on what principle young men and women choose their future place of study. - Ivan Antonovich, about 6,000 young people enrolled in vocational education institutions in the Vitebsk region last academic year, and this year the enrollment exceeded 9,000 people, with the staffing plan fulfilled by 101%. This is despite the fact that for some specialties, the competition was as high as in some universities – more than three people per place. What explains the increased popularity of secondary vocational schools and vocational-technical schools? - The demand for all vocational education institutions is simple. Today, vocational-technical schools and secondary vocational schools offer a wide range of interesting, useful, and well-paid specialties. For example, in the Vitebsk region alone, training is provided in 58 educational specialties and 133 qualifications. At the same time, specialists from the regional education department study the demand in the labor market. The list of new specialties for which personnel are trained is formed based on the obtained data. - What do school leavers who choose the vocational education system for further study want to become? - Given the intensive construction of agro-towns, housing in rural areas, large dairy complexes, and other facilities, there is a shortage of personnel in the labor market specifically for carrying out these works. Consequently, demand prompts young people to choose professions related to the construction industry, light and processing industries, and agriculture. In particular, the competition for construction specialties this year was 3.5-4 people per place. This indicator is usually characteristic of universities. Traditionally high demand remains for the professions of driver, repair mechanic, and seamstress. Forestry is gaining popularity. For example, at the Vidzy Lyceum (Braslav district), training for forest rangers has begun. The relevance of the proposed profession turned out to be so great that even 16 young Russians came here for training. - It's no secret that many are attracted by the opportunity to obtain not one, but several specialties during their studies at a vocational-technical school or secondary vocational school… - Absolutely! Let's take, for example, an educational institution for agricultural production. So, first, a girl gets the specialty of a livestock breeder or a laboratory assistant for chemical and bacteriological analysis, then a cook, the next step is a seamstress-order taker at a service center or a hairdresser. A young man can go through the following chain: a mechanic for agricultural machinery repair – a tractor driver – a driver, or a gas and electric welder – a driver. Everything depends on the student's motivation and diligence. A capable student can acquire a whole set of specialties during their studies in the vocational education system. And young people take advantage of this opportunity. Annual professional skill competitions, held in major specialties such as hairdresser, tractor driver-machinist, turner-milling machine operator, bricklayer, finishing work master, cook, etc., also help to improve qualifications. Thus, by mastering several professions or improving their professional level, young people significantly increase their chances in the labor market. In addition, in recent years, very close cooperation has been established with secondary specialized and higher education institutions. Agreements on continuous training of students have been concluded with them. Thanks to this, if a young person studies well and is involved in public work, we can send them for further studies through an interview without exams. Annually, 10-15% of students take advantage of this opportunity. - The use of modern computerized equipment in various sectors of the national economy also imposes new requirements on personnel training. After all, every employer wants to get a "ready-made" specialist who already possesses work skills and advanced technologies, not a novice who requires a period of adaptation or additional knowledge… - Republican and regional programs for the development of the vocational education system help to ensure a high level of education and provide all necessary skills. In accordance with them, significant financial resources are allocated for strengthening the material and technical base, and introducing new technologies and teaching methods. Thus, for the Vitebsk region, this amount for the current academic year is Br4.1 billion. It is directed towards the acquisition of new equipment for practical skills training. Thus, we train young men and women not on outdated and decommissioned units, but on the most modern models of machinery used in our farms. This issue is particularly relevant for agricultural production, as today a tractor driver-machinist or a livestock breeder is a highly skilled specialist working with modern equipment and the latest units. Only on such equipment in training farms do students undergo the entire complex of work, from sowing and crop care during the growing season to harvesting and sowing winter crops. Thanks to this, students fully master the specifics of working through the entire cycle. - Does the creation of resource centers also help solve the problem? - Yes, in the Vitebsk region, five resource centers for vocational education institutions are already being formed. Thus, resource centers specializing in training personnel for the construction industry are being equipped at the Orsha Vocational-Technical School No. 110 and the Vitebsk Professional Lyceum of Builders No. 2. Specialists for agriculture will improve their practical skills in the resource centers of the Gorodok and Postavy vocational-technical colleges, and future employees of light industry enterprises will do so at Lyceum No. 4 in Vitebsk. Seventy percent of the most modern equipment and machinery for these educational institutions has already been purchased. At the same time, the replenishment and renewal of their technical fleet is ongoing. By the way, the decision to form two resource centers in the region with agricultural and construction profiles was made due to the high demand for qualified specialists in these sectors in the labor market and the interest of young people in obtaining these specialties. It is no coincidence that regional educational institutions were also chosen. Equipping them with high-tech resource centers allows attracting more students. - How widely is youth informed about educational institutions? And do young people take this into account when choosing? - Open House Days help introduce young people to educational institutions. On these days, heads and teachers of a particular educational institution are ready to answer all their questions. Students can see the educational facilities, communicate with current students, and form their own opinion based on everything they have seen and heard. Moreover, increasingly, the final choice is not made "dictated" by the geographical proximity of the future place of study; the main factor is the quality of education. For example, the pass rate on the first attempt for a driver's license after graduating from the Kokhanovo school is 90-95%, which is a very high indicator. Therefore, a young person who decides to obtain such a specialty will definitely choose this educational institution. - Guaranteed employment also instills confidence in the future… - Enrollment in vocational education institutions is carried out only upon requests from enterprises, coordinated at the level of city and district administrations. For each specialty, two- or three-party agreements are concluded (employer – educational institution, or employer – educational institution – parent), in accordance with which the number of student places is determined. Further employment is strictly controlled. What is the result of this work? Annually, 10-15% of vocational education system graduates continue their studies, 12-13% of young people join the army, and only 1% are young workers who have received free employment due to family circumstances or health reasons. All others receive a job in accordance with their acquired specialty through the referral of educational institutions. This is a high indicator, which primarily testifies to the social security of young specialists. And young people appreciate this. Olga BOGACHEVA, BELTA.-0-