First swallow
Few weeks here in Kaunas exceptional event occurred - the first new vocational school in nearly 20 years was officially opened :) The event so unusual that I devoted special report to it :)
The last 20 years in Lithuania marked the significant increase in the people with higher education. Process was probably natural and not very unique. Reacting to the observation that people with university degree earns significantly more than people without it (trend very clearly seen in 1990s and early 2000s) many graduates of schools and their parents tried to use every possibility to enter and graduate from university. As a result - the number of universities and especially variety in the majors available grown up too. At the same time there were no any new vocational school opened in the country (and some older ones were closed).
As could be easily predicted that trend led to the predictable results: the lack of "blue collar" specialists occurred. At the same time overproduction of various university graduates is seen (technical and engineering specialists are still on demand but the hordes of various managers, economists, lawyers, various humanitarians can't find were to apply their knowledge).
The society needs various specialists to function sustainably. For at least last 5 years various employers are alarming: we need qualified workers but we can find only self-called "specialists". Few years ago the entrance to the universities was made here more complicated. And at the same some efforts to expand professional training centers are made.
The first swallow in this trend - the vocational school for the workers of modern wood and timber processing technologies was built. Technically it is not independent school but a part of so-called Kaunas training center (modern name of professional training schools) of construction workers. I was surprised that in the coming years 42 new vocational schools will be built all over the country. So to mark this unusual event I made several photos of this exotic for modern times establishment.
Coming to the school:
Of course modern schools differs somehow from the old ones:
But who decided to use this idiotic green ?
Near the school is clearly recently built house - during their practices apprentices will need to build such houses :) ?
And school (with training center premises) from distance:
The last 20 years in Lithuania marked the significant increase in the people with higher education. Process was probably natural and not very unique. Reacting to the observation that people with university degree earns significantly more than people without it (trend very clearly seen in 1990s and early 2000s) many graduates of schools and their parents tried to use every possibility to enter and graduate from university. As a result - the number of universities and especially variety in the majors available grown up too. At the same time there were no any new vocational school opened in the country (and some older ones were closed).
As could be easily predicted that trend led to the predictable results: the lack of "blue collar" specialists occurred. At the same time overproduction of various university graduates is seen (technical and engineering specialists are still on demand but the hordes of various managers, economists, lawyers, various humanitarians can't find were to apply their knowledge).
The society needs various specialists to function sustainably. For at least last 5 years various employers are alarming: we need qualified workers but we can find only self-called "specialists". Few years ago the entrance to the universities was made here more complicated. And at the same some efforts to expand professional training centers are made.
The first swallow in this trend - the vocational school for the workers of modern wood and timber processing technologies was built. Technically it is not independent school but a part of so-called Kaunas training center (modern name of professional training schools) of construction workers. I was surprised that in the coming years 42 new vocational schools will be built all over the country. So to mark this unusual event I made several photos of this exotic for modern times establishment.
Coming to the school:
Of course modern schools differs somehow from the old ones:
But who decided to use this idiotic green ?
Near the school is clearly recently built house - during their practices apprentices will need to build such houses :) ?
And school (with training center premises) from distance: