Tim za socijalno uključivanje i smanjenje siromaštva

The Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Government of the Republic of Serbia Mladen Šarčević opened the first roundtable on the creation of the National Model of Student Apprenticeships on 3 October, as part of the project “My Town – My Choice – My Career”, intended to network faculties, local self-government institutions and businesses.

“Working together with representatives of towns and municipalities, businesses and the academic community, we wish to create a sustainable model for student apprenticeships that will enable our youth to acquire their first practical labour experiences during studies, thus becoming more competitive in the labour market”, the Minister said on this occasion.

Šarčević noted that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development recognized the importance of entrepreneurial education at all levels of education, from primary to higher education. Entrepreneurial education means that a student, along with acquiring quality theoretical knowledge, needs to have an opportunity to acquire business and personal skills that will additionally improve their competences, said the Minister.

The University of Belgrade supports the intention of the Ministry to form a National Model for Student Apprenticeships, said the Rector Vladimir Bumbaširević, particularly emphasizing the BG Apprenticeship programme that started in 2010, enabling students to acquire practical skills in public enterprises in Belgrade.

The significance of the conception of the National Model of Student Apprenticeships was also indicated by Ursula Läubli, the Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, saying that today it is very important to bring the world of education closer to the world of labour.

After Belgrade, roundtables will be held in other university centres, Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac and Novi Pazar. The goal of the project “My Town – My Choice – My Career”, implemented jointly by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities is to enable students to acquire their first practical work experience during studies, while simultaneously developing their business skills and entrepreneurial competences.

Source: www.mpn.gov.rs