MAKE THE CUT
Start date: Jul 1, 2014,
End date: Jun 30, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
The occupation butcher is by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia defined as deficitary, and every year the number of students who have completed primary school interested in taking this program is decreasing since the occupation is perceived as unattractive and difficult, both physically and mentally. The task of the school is to improve the education of students and to find possibilities of using new features and to fulfil the requirements of the Croatian industry.
The planned project mobility included students who attended Srednja škola Vrbovec with the purpose of training for a butcher. Srednja škola Vrbovec sent its students to the mobility to an institution in Denmark Danish Meat Trade College (DMTC) with which our partner in providing practical training PIK has long lasting cooperation. DMTC is an institution that follows the trends of the world industries, and has a program of work which brings benefits for both students and their future employers.
The project included 40 of 2nd and 3rd year students of secondary school vocational education for a butcher and two teachers who hold classes in technology of the occupations, both in the function of accompanying personnel. 20 selected students went on mobility in 2014 and 20 in 2015. Mobility on both occasions lasted for two weeks according to a special program designed by the representatives of Srednja škola Vrbovec, institution Danish Meat Trade College and PIK Vrbovec, since it included almost exclusively the practical training elements for a butcher. The mobility of 2 weeks was in the opinion of the Danish Meat Trade College and the meat industry PIK, whose workers have already gone to education in Denmark, enough for mastering new techniques in cutting and deboning of meat.
The main objective of learning new work techniques for students involved in the mobility was that they enable them to conduct the work of butchers with less physical strain and with increased operational efficiency, reducing the possibility of physical injury and work injury. Students should then be able to, with the applied new techniques, find a job easier and keep the job with an increased quality of life. By acquiring additional practical skills and working methods the employability of students is increased and enables them to have expanded opportunities to work in the meat-processing companies in Croatia and in the world, as well as in retail. Classes were conducted entirely in English language, and, through the linguistic preparation and use of a foreign language during mobility, students developed their English language skills with a special emphasis on the terminology essential for their future profession.
As a preparation for the participation in the mobility Srednja škola Vrbovec provided language preparation, educational preparation and cultural preparation. In cooperation with PIK Vrbovec students received a lecture on Occupational Safety and machinery, equipment and infrastructure in the institution Danish Meat Trade College. A committee was established that included the representatives of the school , also the coordinator of the project, the representatives of parents and student representatives , the representatives of institutions Danish Meat Trade College and the representatives of PIK Vrbovec which was responsible for monitoring the preparation, implementation and dissemination of the results of the program before, during and upon completion of the mobility, and all phases were conducted exclusively in cooperation with the aforementioned committee.
In order for the results of the project to be available for as many people as possible, the committee was in charge of the dissemination of the results. Srednja škola Vrbovec included the findings and results of the mobility in brochures and presentations that took place in primary schools, presented the results of the project on their website, held presentations about them for all interested parties, especially primary schools, associations of craftsmen and the Zagreb County Administration, etc. PIK also used its network to disseminate the information about the project.
There are many long-term benefits of this project: the students, the school and the industry benefited from this project, and thus the local community. By connecting the requirements of the industry and the education system new opportunities are created for the education system to create motivated students who can quickly and easily adapt to the demands of the workplace and who have adopted new and innovative techniques.