#13 On the road to the professional top

Analysts estimate that in the nearest future the shortage of skilled workers will be even more acute than it is today. In order to increase the attractiveness of trade education in the city, we decided to modernize the Vocational and Continuing Education Center so that it fully meets the needs of students and entrepreneurs and offer fields of study that are tailored to the local labor market. Thanks to an EU grant, we modernized the existing school building by adding an additional wing. Laboratories were created for dock and terminal operations, materials management, rail traffic control, mechanical technology design, renewable energy systems, and passive construction. Each was equipped with modern teaching equipment. For example, students studying for the degree of a “dock and terminal operations technician" and “flight operations technician" learn about their future work environment by using the equipment which can be actually found at real airports. The equipment of the laboratory with its functionality reflects the full path of the passenger and allows to perform security control activities, which take place in the restricted area of the airport, inaccessible to students even during their internship. In turn, young people learning the profession of rail transport technician have at their disposal a model of railroad traffic control, allowing for parallel operation of three trains. In response to the needs of the regional labor market, a material management laboratory was also created, which serves as a mini logistics and shipping center. The new building also features state-of-theart equipment for training as an aircraft technician. The center owns a glider flight simulator, too. Additionally, it is prepared to launch new courses such as equipment and systems of renewable energy, electricity as well as sanitary piping and equipment installation. All studios have been adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, especially those in wheelchairs.

Today's job market searches for qualified employees. When elementary school graduates choose a trade school, they know they can feel safe about their professional future. All the more so as education in conditions similar to the real ones, i.e. those prevailing in workplaces, is becoming a standard today. Our Center, in order to meet the expectations of students, parents and employers, reached for EU funding not only to equip laboratories, but also to organize internships, apprenticeships and specialized courses. To this end, we have established cooperation with the socio-economic environment: employers, universities, training institutions. Our partners include: Silesian University of Technology, Częstochowa University of Technology, Katowice Special Economic Zone, Aviation Academy Aviation Education Centre Airport Balice, Pyrzowice Airport. As a result, we were able to organize internships for 300 students, during which they gained new experience and skills and became familiar with technical solutions used in real work conditions. Each intern received a grant, and employers received a wage supplement reimbursement or a full wage reimbursement for the interns' supervisors. Many students were offered summer jobs after completing their internship, and graduates were offered permanent employment. During fifteen specialized courses, project participants were able to gain professional licenses, learn how to program or operate unmanned aerial vehicles, and acquire skills, for example, in installing renewable energy sources. Additional forms of support included meetings with a career counselor and psychological consultations. The acquired skills, confirmed by internships and placements with entrepreneurs, make the graduates of our Center enter the job market as true practitioners and experts. Thanks to the EU grant, sixteen teachers also improved their qualifications. As part of their post-graduate studies they became certified to teach transportation and aviation subjects.

When I was graduating from gymnasium, I planned to go to a general high school. However, a few days before the recruitment, I changed my mind because I decided that technical school would be a better option as I would gain professional qualifications straight away. I chose the class with a profile of ports operations and airport terminals at the Technical School No. 4 in Sosnowiec. Today I can say that it was a great decision that I am really happy with. Today, trade schools are well-equipped institutions. They allow you to gain qualifications searched by potential employers. It's a big asset at the start. For four years, I had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of working at airports. We have well-equipped labs at the school. The equipment resembles the one used in real airport terminals. This way we can learn in technical school how to carry out baggage and ticket control or how to serve passengers. I am glad that the school, thanks to grants from the European Union, has the opportunity to organize professional internships. For people who want to grow and invest in their future, this is an important step. They give you not only the opportunity to gain experience, but also certificates confirming the skills and decent salary, which are all very motivating. I took that chance myself. From January to March 2020, I completed an internship at Katowice Wojciech Korfanty International Airport in Pyrzowice, where I participated, among other things, in security checks. After its completion I was offered a job by a Poczta Polska Ochrona. It was an opportunity for me to gain additional experience. When I submitted my resume there a few months later, I was accepted for a security screening position. I worked through the holidays and now that I'm back in school, I'm making extra money on the weekends. I plan to pursue a professional future in the aviation industry. I would like to work in the administration department. I am intensively studying three foreign languages – English, Italian and Russian. I hope that thanks to the internships, apprenticeships and work at the airport it will be easier for me in my future professional life.