On behalf of the German Development Cooperation, GIZ has been closely cooperating with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and other relevant institutions in Serbia for eight years in order to strengthen the dual education model and better align the education system with labour market needs
Alexander Beetz, Programme Manager For Sustainable Economic Development And Employment At The German Development Cooperation With Serbia
We Encourage Cooperation Between Schools And Companies
One of the main goals of the German Development Cooperation with Serbia is to improve the prospects of young people in Serbia and to make it easier for them to find work and live in their country
The education system plays a key role in improving young people’s chances of finding a good job. A big step forward was made with the introduction of the cooperative model of education in 2014.
Close cooperation between schools and companies, and greater scope and better quality of practical teaching in companies are some of the main characteristics of the new approach. Experience from implementation of the cooperative model was essential for the development of the national model of dual education in Serbia and the adoption of the Law on Dual Education, which entered into force in 2019.
Currently, German Development Cooperation (implemented by GIZ) focuses on working with Serbian partners to improve the quality of dual education. We work on capacity building of schools to become regional centres of competence – model schools that offer high quality dual education and non-formal trainings. In parallel, we provide advisory support to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development to improve the legal and regulatory framework for the implementation of dual education. Our goal is to improve the employability of young people so they can find good quality jobs and decent earnings. On the other hand, we encourage employers to be actively involved in the training of future staff in accordance with the needs of their companies. This contributes to increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the Serbian economy.
Milivoje Đorđević, Principal Of Vlasotince Technical School
We Follow The Needs Of The Labour Market
Thanks to the projects of German Development Cooperation implemented by GIZ, we have established an important public-private partnership, equipped school workshops, built capacities of teachers and instructors from companies…
Vlasotince Technical School is very successful in implementing dual education. We educate students in nine educational profiles and cooperate with more than 30 companies. We have been accredited for adult education through non-formal trainings and the process of recognition of prior learning. Since 2016, we have increased the number of students by 50 percent.
Our school constantly monitors the needs of the labour market in order to fulfil its purpose, and that is why we cooperate with companies so that we can offer our students education for the occupations that are in demand. Besides gaining practical knowledge and skills during the time spent in companies, students also learn teamwork, business communication, workplace discipline and many other skills that they cannot acquire in school. In that way, we provide them with good conditions for professional development and a chance to build a career in their own town. On the other hand, companies recognize their interest in being actively involved in the education of their future staff because “good workers are not found by chance, you have to make them”, as the owner of one of our partner companies says. Employers are aware that they have to invest in education of their future workers and that it is a great development opportunity for every company to participate in education. Therefore, our school’s cooperation with companies is growing bigger and better every day.
Rajka Babić, Principal Of The Obrenovac Technical School
We Are Among Pioneers Of Dual Education
Thanks to the introduction of dual education, we have improved cooperation with local companies and increased interest in three-year vocational education profiles for occupations that employers need
Obrenovac Technical School was one of the first secondary vocational schools in Serbia to start implementing a dual education model. We started in the 2014/15 school year by introducing a cooperative model with elements of dual education, and now we have four dual profiles: locksmith-welder, electro-fitter for network and installation, electrician, and machine tool maker.
Our partner companies Stelit 90, Cardboard factory UMKA, JKP Toplovod, PE EPS and Thermal Power Plant Nikola Tesla A and B have provided our students with conditions for acquiring professional competencies that will make them competitive on the labour market. This includes a larger number of hours that students spend at work-based learning in the company, training on modern machines under constant supervision and mentorship of instructors who have been trained to work with students. They gain the ability to apply theoretical knowledge acquired in school to practical work in the company, and the opportunity to learn at first hand how the company works and what it means to be part of a team.
The employers have also assumed all the obligations prescribed by the Law on Dual Education, including the obligation to pay financial remuneration to students for work-based learning. As our students say, companies invest in them so that, when they hire them in the future, they will have high quality craftsmen.
Mihailo Jevtić, Director Of Stelit 90 d.o.o. In Obrenovac
They Were Our Students, Now They Are Our Colleagues
A quarter of the current staff in our company’s production plant is trained through cooperation with the Technical school, i.e. through dual education of locksmith-welders
Stelit 90 is a family business, founded in 1990. Our primary activity is the design, production and installation of process equipment and plants, equipment for dust removal and industrial ventilation, energy equipment, metal structures and equipment for environmental protection and waste processing.
Thanks to many years of experience and highly professional staff, Stelit 90 is today one of the leading manufacturers of process equipment.
For many years, we have been cooperating with the Obrenovac Technical School in implementation of dual education, primarily for the locksmith-welder profile. During that time, we have managed to train a lot of young staff. Most of the students who had practical part of teaching at Stelit are now employed by us, some have already become lead craftsmen. The support of the German Development Cooperation is important, cooperation with the school and teachers of practical subjects is excellent, we are all going in the same direction – better education of young people and better preparation for the job for which they are studying. We are looking forward to continuing cooperation and expanding capacity for training of future staff.