For the second year in a row, the ninth graders from the Republic of North Macedonia are getting acquainted with their future career through the promotion of new and existing professions offered through dual classes within the call for enrollment in secondary education 2022/2023 by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The Digital Fair for Secondary Vocational Education is an initiative implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, in order to promote and advance secondary vocational education and training. In order to inform the ninth graders and their parents about the opportunities offered by the high schools for acquiring professional skills and appropriate employment after graduation, the project Education for Employment in North Macedonia – E4E@mk and the Macedonian Civic Education Center have implemented again the Digital Fair for secondary vocational education.
The Digital Fair 2.0, which was broadcast through the Zoom platform, with an organized online stream for all primary schools across the country, in 2022 aimed at promoting several professions through interactive videos and an open studio, within which ninth graders had the opportunity to hear about professions, for the practical training of students in a company, the occupation safety and health but also for career opportunities after graduating from vocational school.
The interactive videos that were presented during the digital fair 2.0 aimed at bringing the audience closer to the professions that are really in demand by the labor market and that are part of the Call for enrollment in secondary education, specifically within the dual classes in 2022/2023.
The first interactive video https://youtu.be/JxhpD4WxMNw includes a presentation by two domestic companies in the professions of welder and food technician. The companies Brako from Veles and Bucen Kozjak from Kumanovo provided an overview of the practical training of students and defined the process of occupation safety and health as a really important step in the overall education of students in vocational education and training.
The second interactive video https://youtu.be/As8gFxpDYFY includes a presentation by two domestic companies in the professions of installer for heating and air conditioning and plumbing as well as an agro-technician. The companies BFM to Tetovo and Tikves Winery from Kavadarci also focused on the presentation of practical training of students as a process through which students in vocational education and training can acquire the necessary skills.
The open studio of the Digital Fair 2.0 hosted the vocational high schools Kiro Burnaz from Kumanovo, Dimitar Vlahov from Skopje and the High School Gostivar from Gostivar, which emphasized the benefits of vocational education such as skills acquisition, practical training in the company and employment opportunities. All secondary vocational schools that participated in the open studio, through statements from their students have shared experiences from practice in companies, especially companies focused on production and personal services.
The companies that were guests in the open studio had the opportunity to present part of their work and employment potentials to young people completing the vocational education. Aphrodite S from Skopje, Vardar Dolomit from Gostivar and Kumanovo expressed readiness to accept students for practical training but also commitment to transfer skills and knowledge to all students who will choose vocational education.
The Swiss project E4E@mk and the Ministry of Education and Science continue to promote vocational education, especially the promotion of cooperation between companies and vocational schools. The Digital Fair continues to be a platform for introducing future high school students to the wide range of professions offered by secondary vocational education and more importantly the offer of career opportunities. The Digital Fair together with the social dialogue and the campaign “Learn smart, work professionally” contribute to the goal of more young people to gain quality vocational education and training that contributes to better and decent employment.
The Digital Fair for Secondary Vocational Education 2.0 is available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BZRGHnAmMQ&t=2253s
With the objective to collect opinions and considerations from the students and teachers regarding the promotion of vocational education and training in the future, the Digital Fair 2.0 carried out an online survey, which summarized the following results:
