The goal of the project ‘ARS MECHANICA for New Competencies’ is to strengthen the competencies of educational staff, students, and adult participants of the Regional Competence Center (RCK) in the subsector of mechanical engineering for the Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties in accordance with the labor market needs of the region and to establish cooperation with vocational education institutions in Croatia and the EU, higher education institutions, and the economic sector of the region, as well as beyond.
As part of the project ‘ARS MECHANICA for New Competencies’, the school has conducted a series of training sessions for teachers, principals, and mentors with employers to effectively and professionally transfer knowledge to students and successfully participate in the future work of the Regional Competence Center ARS MECHANICA.
Over the past two years, a number of events have been held, such as ‘Open Day’, aimed at familiarizing students with the programs of the Industrial and Craft School in Šibenik, and the ‘Employer Fair’, which was an ideal opportunity for all graduates, unemployed individuals, and those wishing to retrain to learn about employment opportunities, as well as the retraining and upskilling programs conducted within the Regional Competence Center.
– In order to enable students and adult participants to acquire quality knowledge and skills in line with technological developments and labor market needs, through the project ‘ARS MECHANICA for New Competencies’, the school, in collaboration with partners, has developed a strategic plan for a five-year period, as well as action plans. A system for ensuring the quality of development and operation of the RCK has been designed, and a Manual has been created, along with a system for professional orientation and Guidelines for its implementation. Additionally, an Economic-Educational Council (GOV) has been established, and a Work Regulation has been developed – adds project manager Mirjana Škugor.
Furthermore, cooperation has been established with European vocational centers from Lithuania, Finland, and Germany, and standards for occupations, qualification standards, and vocational curricula for the new occupation Technician for Mechanical Installations have been developed according to labor market needs, as well as for the occupation Ship Electrician.
– As part of the project, 4 new elective modules for regular classes have been developed according to labor market needs, as well as 3 informal adult education programs along with teaching materials. We have also created more than 20 digital teaching materials and 10 advanced 3D models of multimedia teaching content in virtual reality technology. We tested 200 students for giftedness and designed an extracurricular program ‘Recycling Materials in an Innovative Way’. In addition, a workshop for home installations has been equipped with educational sets and tools, as well as work equipment, and a practical for material testing. Alongside all this, we organized three inter-county student competitions in the discipline of Home Installations – concludes the project manager.
