On 24 and 25 January, we presented a number of opportunities at Informativa to young people, which are receive European Social Fund support. This includes professions and competences of the future, opportunities to obtain various scholarships or practical experience in education, active citizenship, apprenticeships, participation of students and entrepreneurs, and other programmes and projects. Many of are represented by other institutions that implement programmes (universities, schools, institutes, etc.).
Within the “European Social Fund for Youth” we presented the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund, Ministry of Public Administration, Employment Service, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport with interesting guests. Rok Bohinc moderated, and a fortune teller also visited us and predicted professional future.
The Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund presented the Zois scholarships, scholarships for deficit professions and Ad futura scholarships for international mobility to young people, as well as information about the EducationUSA centre. However, practical experience is becoming increasingly important in education, and young people already have to think about how they gain work experience, competencies and skills that their potential employers will ask about during their schooling.
In this way, young people got to know the profession of a glassmaker first-hand and how they can gain an internship during their schooling with the help of an apprenticeship, which takes place within the programme Linking the system of vocational and professional education with labour market needs. The profession glassmaker, which is considered to be in short supply, is a traditional profession, but it follows the trends with modern products. At the exhibition space, the participants observed how beautiful engravings are created on the modern designs of glass products of Steklarna Rogaška.
What do Accelerator information on with employment opportunities, the threat to the coast due to falling rocks in the bay of Sv. Križa in Strunjan, Heritage Transferred to Jewelry and Development of Interactive Lights for Extreme Conditions have in common? All of them were created within the programme On the Creative Path to Knowledge, where students gain practical experience and skills already during their education. The programme connects faculties with companies and thus gives students the opportunity to gain practical experience in economics. In the same way, students can gain work experience within the Student Innovative Projects for Social Benefit programme, which connects faculties with non-economy or non-profit organizations.
Through interesting conversations with students and their work mentors and the presentation of student projects, who enthusiastically shared their experiences, the moderator introduced young people to the importance of gaining practical experience during their studies to facilitate the transition to employment.
Why acquiring new knowledge and competencies or lifelong learning is so very important for every individual, even those who are already pursuing professions that will be in great demand in the future know. One such profession is process technology for the factories of the future, presented by Nina Lah, also this year’s Engineer of the Year nominee. The development of future competencies is made possible by the Competence Centre for Human Resources.