Romny Higher Vocational School is famous for training plumbers throughout Sumy region. The school currently trains 115 students in the profession of installer of sanitary systems and equipment, 30 of whom are enrolled on a contract basis.
The VET school has modern facilities, and thanks to participation in the second phase of the Ukrainian-Swiss EdUP project, they were able to improve the skills of teachers and update approaches to teaching the profession. Nadiia Mishchenko, Deputy Director for Education and Production at Romny Higher Vocational School, told us what other results they have achieved.
On the training centre
In 2017, the VET school submitted an application to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to establish a plumbing training and practical centre. In addition, the regional authorities, employers, and the institution itself allocated funds for the centre.
“We created the centre project on our own, looking for equipment and technologies. After attending seminars and workshops from EdUP, we saw what new products manufacturers were offering, what new products were on the market. This was the impetus for a partial renovation of the centre: we bought some machinery, equipment, tools, and materials at our own expense,” says Nadiya.
On cooperation with business
After the centre was established, the institution improved its cooperation with businesses. The school currently has cooperation agreements with 24 companies.
For example, in May 2023, Kermi, a company that manufactures heating appliances and underfloor heating systems, held a masterclass at the Romny Higher Vocational School.
“The company's experts spoke about modern underfloor heating. They explained how to make calculations and select the right materials and tools. Even graduates came to listen to Kermi experts. And for good reason, because it was very interesting and informative. The students were also delighted and interested in the brand and its technologies. We agreed that in the new academic year we will hold several more masterclasses, only on other topics,” says Nadiia Mishchenko.
About the graduates
The institution actively cooperates with employers, providing students with internships or traineeships. So graduates have no problems finding employment after graduation. According to Nadiia Mischenko, the employment rate of plumbing graduates is currently 100%.
Some graduates start their own businesses related to the installation of sanitary equipment and heating networks.
“Some graduates start self-employment right away: they provide services for the installation of plumbing or heating systems in buildings. Others, knowing all the intricacies of working with tools, open sales outlets for plumbing products. We cooperate with some graduates as suppliers of materials,” she explains.
On the professional development of teachers
According to the results of the professional skills competition among craftsmen organised by the EdUP project in early June 2023, Eduard Dovbnia, a vocational training master at Romny VET, won third place.
“Eduard used to work as a plumber at a private enterprise. Only recently he got a job at the school. Participation in the competition gave him a lot of positive impressions, in particular, he was impressed by what he saw at the Install Fest exhibition. We are proud of our master and hope that he will continue to develop his professional skills together with EdUP,” the deputy director emphasises.
The VET school notes that the EdUP project’s trainings and conferences have had an impact on the professional qualifications of teachers and vocational training instructors. They now train students better and hold more interesting workshops during career guidance work with schoolchildren.
On attitudes towards the plumbing profession
The Romny vocational school constantly organises events that develop students’ creativity and interest in the profession. As a result, students’ attitudes towards the plumbing profession have begun to change. Professional skills competitions also have a positive impact.
“Even though the competitions are held at the school, EdUP experts evaluate the participants' work. We noticed that students respond more carefully and seriously to the criticism of an external expert. They perceive it as a more objective assessment,” says Nadiia Mishchenko.
About career counselling
Last year, EdUP conducted a training course on “Preparing Young People for a Successful Career” for the project’s participating institutions. This allowed teachers to improve career guidance work during training sessions on CV writing and workplace adaptation.
“We learnt how to better create information materials and took this into account when creating an advertisement about the institution. EdUP inspired us to make mobile models that reflect certain plumbing processes. These models are created, in particular, with the participation of plumbing students. Then we take these models with us to show masterclasses when we visit schools in the city and neighbouring communities. Schoolchildren can see how everything is arranged and turn something around. Then they start asking about training and the prospects of working as a plumber,” says Nadiia Mishchenko.
What’s next?
The Romny vocational school notes that every year the plumbing profession is becoming more attractive among young people, and more and more adults are willing to learn it. Therefore, it is necessary to follow industry trends and update the material base.
“We want to continue to participate in trainings and workshops that explain the use of new equipment. At the same time, there is a demand for new educational content for students. It is very difficult to find videos or other materials in open sources for equipment that has recently entered the market. We are interested in energy efficiency, hybrid heating systems - there is very little content, samples for students to learn from,” says Nadiya Mishchenko.
The VET school would also benefit from the provision of consumables.
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The Public-Private Partnership to Improved Plumbing Education (EdUP) is a project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, in partnership with Geberit Trading LLC, implemented by Swisscontact Foundation for Technical Cooperation and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.