In the coming weeks, students from three countries will take part in professional training in Sfântu Gheorghe through a partnership between the VET Center and local companies, in the framework of StartUp HUB. The cooperation is implemented through the Erasmus+ programme and the students come from Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia.
VET Center, member of StartUp HUB,the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Adult Education and Vocational Training, provides internships for foreign students in Sfântu Gheorghe, in partnership with various local businesses and vocational schools. Currently, around 40 students and their accompanying teachers are on placements, but during their stay there is also an emphasis on social and personal skills development. For the participants, it is important not only to learn the different trades, but also to get to know the local Hungarian community, learn about each other’s culture and organise future joint activities.
14 students and two teachers from Hidaskürti Magán Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltatóipari Szakközépiskola and Bátorkeszi Magán Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltatóipari Szakközépiskol came from Slovakia. Ildikó Varga‘s students are studying hotel management, cosmetology and hairdressing, many of them are taking part in Erasmus+ for the first time and are also abroad for the first time.
The Erasmus+ programme brought us to Szeklerland, for which we are very grateful. As a teacher, during a previous visit, I was convinced how well equipped the hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, beauty salons are and how everything is perfectly suited to the aim of giving our students new experiences. The environment and the culture are also very attractive, so I feel there is a lot of potential for students and teachers alike to enjoy themselves and to develop future relationships with the people who live here. The students are interested, active and can develop professionally, so I think these internships are important. I think it’s important to participate in these programs because they get to learn about new opportunities related to the professions, but also to get an idea of how Hungarian-speaking people live here. – the accompanying teacher said.
14 students and two teachers of the Dositej Obradović High School and Vocational School from Törökkanizsa, Vojvodina, came from Serbia, and according to the head of the group, Ibolya Cseszkó, it is a great opportunity for them to participate in this programme. Personally, I think it’s a great chance for us to be here, for me and for the students to be open to innovation, learning and training. At the same time, it’s a great pleasure for the students, because some of them who have never been across the border before have just had a passport made to come here to do their internships. Confectionery trends have changed a lot in recent years, there is a renewal that is very exciting, so the students will learn a lot here, too, during the training, they will be able to prepare traditional dishes that are typical of Szeklerland. In this way, they will also learn about the gastronomic and cultural customs of the region – she said.
From Hungary, students from the József Petzelt Technical and Vocational School in Szentendre, led by teacher Tünde Eckensberger, came to study for three weeks in Sfântu Gheorghe.
My students also come from a specific sector, i.e. they are over 16 but have no primary education, so they are studying in a different field. Some of the students are studying to be cooks, IT specialists, car body repairers. The special education students, through a national programme, are sent to a workshop school, which is also helped by the Erasmus+ programme, through which we came to Sfântu Gheorghe. This programme is also very important because there are no language barriers, as Hungarian is spoken here, and strong friendships are formed.
Szebasztián Faragó, a second-year cookery student from Serbia, thinks that everyone should try this programme, as it has many advantages in addition to the practical training.
I work in a place where the atmosphere is family-like, the people are cheerful, they appreciate the work we do and give us important tasks to do. This is very important and very rewarding for me, because it is a way of learning a profession. I also like the fact that we came to such a nice city as Sfântu Gheorghe, where the people are very nice, courteous, the accommodation is nice and the excursions we take are promising. For me, this is the first Erasmus+ programme I’ve been involved in, but I’d be happy to come back if I get the chance – the student said.
Szilárd Kelemen, Vice President of StartUp HUB and Director of Partnerships at the VET Center, said: Erasmus+ supports placements abroad for vocational education and training students and professionals. The VET Centre aims to build strong links between education and training and the world of work through its programmes. We believe that it is a great opportunity for students to have the chance to try themselves in different local companies in a real working environment. It is a special pleasure to welcome students from Hungary, Vojvodina and Upland at the same time, and we are confident that with this programme we can contribute to their professional development and that they will return to Szeklerland in the future. – Szilárd Kelemen said.
Students and teachers participating in the Erasmus+ programme, in addition to their work placements, will also take part in various activities: a city visit, a trip to St Anne’s Lake, a visit to the castle of Drušné hory, a trip to Brasov and the 30th anniversary of the St George’s Days.