Good practices, inspiring experiences, and one undeniable conclusion: vocational education cannot be separated from the labor market. Only then will students develop competencies, gain experience, and derive satisfaction from learning—and ultimately, possess qualifications that are in demand on the labor market. This is the main message of the “Highest Quality Vocational School” competition, the 5th edition of which has just launched. The “Top Quality Vocational School” competition is an initiative whose primary goal is to identify, select, and disseminate the most interesting solutions that improve the quality of vocational education in Poland. These include best professional practices, innovative teacher ideas, and examples of collaboration with employers and businesses. All vocational, post-secondary, and technical schools that submit solutions they have implemented to ensure the quality of education are eligible to participate.
The competition is a continuation of the Cooperation Fund Foundation’s work on the quality of vocational education. In 2016, as part of the Erasmus Plus project “European Solutions in Quality Assurance,” the Foundation, together with the Mazovian Board of Education, organized the first edition of a nationwide competition for vocational schools, which was met with significant interest from schools.
Interest in the competition continues to grow, and the number of applications increases year after year. Since the competition’s inception, over 450 practices have been submitted, 340 of which were recognized as “good practices.” The direct result of the competition is the mobilization and competition among vocational schools in Poland, thanks to which internship programs are better aligned with the needs of the labor market, and companies with professional equipment provide students with development opportunities that would otherwise be impossible in a classroom setting.
“Continuously improving the quality of vocational education in Poland is the most important goal of this project,” says Agnieszka Luck from the Cooperation Fund Foundation. “With the success of their students in mind, schools should develop and open themselves to new challenges and opportunities. They must adapt to the constantly changing market realities
and offer solutions that equip graduates with tools that will help them find their place in the labor market. Our Competition rewards precisely such solutions,” she adds.
Applications can be submitted between June 14th and July 16th, 2021, via the application form available at www.najlepszazawodowa.pl
The competition is held under the media patronage of the publishing house and the Perspektywy portal.
The Honorary Patronage of the anniversary awards gala was assumed by the Ministry of Development, Labour and Technology.
