Unprecedented influx in vocational schools: Some employers offer higher wages than after graduation

According to the ministry, in the three weeks since mid-June, when 6.4 thousand people registered in the general admission system, this number has almost doubled.

Sent a message to all students

The editor-in-chief of Ratings has several explanations for this change. According to him, one of them is the opportunity to study in a high school or gym, and at the same time choose vocational modules in a vocational school.

“The ministry has offered a very good option, an innovation that is very smart. If my son were grown up, I would definitely recommend him. She suggested that children who study in gyms complete individual modules at a vocational school. In other words, study in both a gym and a vocational school.

Do you like photography? You go to a vocational school, study for 200 hours, get a certificate that you have completed the training. I like car mechanics: finish the car mechanics module there. Imagine how good it is? He is still in school and can complete a couple of modules at a vocational school and have some understanding of various professions.

In other words, if 25 m. a person has already acquired a specialty in higher education and acquired a couple of modules in a vocational school, their positions will be much better than someone who will have a profession. That is what young people hear, “said G. Sarafin in the” Delfi11 “program.

According to the Ministry, admission to vocational training institutions this year is open not only for those who want to get a qualification according to the entire vocational training program, as has been the norm so far, but also for students in gyms of grades I-IV and grades 9-10 in general education. Professional training modules. To date, 276 such requests have been received, nearly tripling the number since mid-June.

Modular vocational training programs, consisting of separate modules, allow the student to acquire the desired grade not only by studying consistently throughout the program, but also by taking individual modules, choosing the most acceptable form and pace of learning.

Students in general education schools who decide to choose modular vocational training will study somewhat differently than students in vocational schools. They may choose part of the program, i. that is, a separate module and learn from it. After choosing a module at a vocational school, a gym student may have 3 to 6 lessons, and the study will last from one to two years.

The student, together with his general education school and vocational training institution, will develop an individual learning plan so that the maximum weekly number of 35 lessons is not exceeded. Both schools will work together to coordinate a student-friendly class schedule.

Upon completing a separate module, the student will receive a certificate confirming the acquired competence. The skills acquired will allow you to participate in relevant activities, and the skills acquired under the same qualification program will be credited for further learning, thus shortening the learning time.

Understand that there is no need to suffer

However, as you can see from the figures provided by the MESM, most of those who want to study in vocational schools are not gym or high school students. According to G. Sarafin, the second reason for such an interest in crafts is the failure of high school graduates in the labor market.

“Very often young people go to 11th grade in the gym because they bring them there. Every child has money for school. Gymnasium administrations are trying to get all that is left of the latter, but those children would feel much better if they had acquired a trade at a vocational school.

It is still rumored that every year around 2,000 young people who graduate from higher education enroll in vocational schools. They understand that, wait, wait, I’m not here. I finished something in four years, but I understand that I have neither a profession nor can I get a job ”, reasoned G. Sarafin.

According to the specialist, although students are not inclined to listen to teachers or parents, they listen to the experiences of friends or other classmates. According to Sarafin, more and more students understand that after acquiring a trade, they will definitely find a place to perform.

“Finally, they understand that this torture at school so that parents can put an advantage in front of a relative, that a child has graduated from high school and after high school, does not bring happiness for him or his family,” said the interlocutor.

According to the Ministry, those who choose vocational training include the most popular engineering and engineering professions, personal services, health care, architecture and construction.

“For half the admission, more than half of the places for vocational training could already be filled,” the press release quoted the Minister of Education, Science and Sports as Algirdas Monkevičius.

Work with vendors

According to Gintautas Jakštas, Head of the Study Policy and Career Analysis Division of the Government’s Strategic Analysis Center (STRATA), encouraging the acquisition of certain vocational modules while still in school is a welcome step. According to him, so far Lithuania has stood out from other countries in this regard in a bad way.

“Compared to statistics from other countries, Lithuania is at the bottom in terms of the share of professional education with general education. In our country, this is a very unusual practice and is mainly for students from the most vulnerable groups. But apparently that view on vocational education is changing a little. And looking at the needs of the labor market, we see that there are about half of the professions that require higher education, about 40 percent. where your professional must finish and around 10 percent. unskilled workers “, – G. Jakštas shared the numbers.

However, he noted, it is clear from the student choices that the needs of the labor market are not being considered at this time.

“What do we see in terms of the design of those who are going to study? Approximately two thirds choose high school and approximately one third professional. It is clear that the proportions are distorted, therefore, we can see that graduates work in jobs where they are not needed at all, “said the interlocutor in the” Delfi11 “program.

He also provided an example of people with higher education choosing a sales job. According to G. Jakštas, “this is not a very healthy practice.”

According to the MESM, a total of 20,610 new students are expected to be admitted to vocational training institutions in 2020. Given the growing need for professionals, more places are being allocated this year for the engineering, healthcare and work industry. social as well as for driver training.

Most of the locations in 2020 will go to manufacturing – 4,935, wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle and motorcycle repair – 3,540, transportation and storage – 2,790, construction – 2,025, healthcare and social work – 1,110.

2019 more than 19.4 thousand were admitted to vocational training institutions. Students, that is, 2.2 thousand, or 13 percent, more than in 2018. The largest number of places went to engineering and engineering professions, services to individuals, architecture and construction.

Some are offered a higher reward than graduation

Raimonda Tatarėlytė, Marketing and Marketing Manager for job search portal CV Market, also confirmed that some professions for which specialists are trained in vocational schools may be classified as high demand.

“Specialties like welders or locksmiths, which are generally trades acquired at a vocational school, are highly deficient and not found. One of the reasons is that those who graduate in these fields go to work abroad because there is a better salary there. On the other hand, not many of them complete these sciences.

Dabrdaviai is looking for them and offers excellent conditions, good salaries and even courses for a person to start working in that job, “said the interlocutor.

When asked what remuneration is offered to the specialists he mentioned, R. Tatarėlytė assured that sometimes the amounts are higher than the jobs that require higher education.

“Currently, the greatest need is for welders, especially in the Klaipeda region, in shipbuilding. They are offered from 1500 euros and more. In addition, a person will live outside the capital, this is a slightly lower standard of living.

Second would be the locksmiths, it is the automotive industry. It may be a rare position, but employers have told me that shoemakers are missing, absolutely no one stops and learns. Clearly, nursing professionals, your need is high enough. There is also a great need for tailors, but there is another nuance with this profession that the market still offers a low enough salary, work is difficult, “he said.

Furthermore, according to labor market experts, the attitude of employers is changing. According to the interviewee, in the past, no matter what job was offered, there was often a sometimes curious requirement for higher education in the ad.

“In the past, what was 90 percent. Job ads were marked as ‘higher education required’, even though it had nothing to do with the nature of the job itself. Now it’s declining, employers at somehow they understand that it is not necessary to have a diploma, but it is much more important to have professional experience or education, ”said R. Tatarėlytė.