THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF THE SCHOOL CENTER NOVO MESTO WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF DOLENJSKA REGION ECONOMY

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1 THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF THE SCHOOL CENTER NOVO MESTO WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF DOLENJSKA REGION ECONOMY 1 INTRODUCTION The implementation of the programme Mechanical Engineering in vocational college School centre Novo mesto began in year The programme was developed within international project Phare. Several were included in the making of this programme: Centre for vocational education Ljubljana (Center za poklicno izobraževanje Ljubljana), Ministry of Education (Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport), several schools and representatives of companies. The representatives of companies such as Revoz Novo mesto, TPV Novo mesto, Adria Mobil Novo mesto, Trimo Trebnje and others. School centre Novo mesto (Šolski center Novo mesto) and School centre Celje (Šolski center Celje) took an active part. Foreign experts were also included in programme design. Many experiences were gained from French school IUT Cachan from Pariz and included in our programme of Mechanical Enginering. Partnership Our vocational school has seven education programs at this time, which are: - Mechanical Engineering - Electronics 1

2 - Informatics - Environmental Protection and Communal Studies - Logistical Engineering - Wood technology and - Cosmetics The objective of our Vocational School is education of students so that consequently they can obtain the profession of engineer in field of Mechanical Engineering with sufficiently broad practical and theoretical skills. The entire educational program runs for two years and it contains a total of 120 ECTS points. 24 weeks of professional theoretical knowledge instruction and 10 weeks of practical training in the economy are in one study year. It should be noted, that this education process has a strong emphasis on practical training in industrial environment, especially in 1st and 2nd year of study. Lecturer together with a mentor from industry, who is responsible for content and organizational realization coordinate the implementation of practical training. Mentor from industry monitors work of the student in the actual company and review a seminar paper, where he gives an assessment of student work. To this end, it is very important that we have good cooperation between our educational organization and industry, where practical training is executed. Class-room 2 EXISTING FORMS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL AND INDUSTRY ARE AS FOLLOWS 2

3 - Practical training for students in industry together with different seminar papers. - Making of theses in companies. - Making of certain laboratory work in companies. - Elaboration of project tasks in cooperation with companies. - Participation in the implementation of the project work during the preparatory phase. - Participation of lectures from companies for lecturing in Higher Vocational School (HVS) and consequently knowledge from companies transfer to school and vice versa. - Companies involved in the preparation of educational programs in schools, co-financing necessary equipment for educational purposes, planning and execute different trips for students and lecturers. - Involvement of business in student exchanges with partner schools through international projects. 3 AIM OF PRACTICAL TRAINING Student: - realizes the actual working environment, Scholl Library - realizes and performs basic operational tasks in workplace, 3

4 - takes cognizance of information system in company, - understands and knows how to use knowledge in the preparation of work in the field of management, leadership, technology, maintenance and overall quality, - participates in the actual work in departments of companies and solves productiontechnological problems, - participates in the preparation of technical-technological documentation by using a computer, - participates in the preparation of projects in the field of analysis of production cost, - realizes more about how project tasks in the field of organization and preparation of production are realized and ensuring the overall quality of working processes as well, - involved in the maintenance of equipment, control systems and energy plants, - working with computer programs and participates in the creation of programs, projects and seminar papers, - gives information about ergonomics, occupational safety, working conditions at specific tasks and ecology, - participates in operational and other practical tasks that are part of actual tasks in the company, - participates in the management of technological processes. 4 PLANNING AND TIMING OF PRACTICAL EDUCATION Student of vocational school must carry out 10 weeks (400 hours) of practical training under the supervision of a mentor in the company in 1st year of study. This practical training takes place in the middle of study year, from December to the end of February, than the students go back to school. In next year (2nd year of study), students must carry out same number of hours of practical training such as in 1st year of study from March to May. The mentor from school works closely during the planning and implementation of practical training. 5 METHODS OF WORK AT PRACTICAL TRAINING To archive the objectives of practical training, it is necessary to use various methods, such as: - working directly in the production process, - working in groups, - viewing various process steps in production, - analysis of the industrial problems in production, - experimental methods, 4

5 - working with information systems, - examining of technical documentation, - working with computer programs, - network planning, - keeping of a practical training diary. 6 PRACTICAL TRAINING CONTENT Practical training In the context of practical training, the students (in the company) should perform several tasks with different content. In such manner they can achieve most of goals which are defined by practical training. These contents are the following: - cooperation in developing a new product, - cooperation in the modernization of technology, - maintenance of machinery and equipment, - the purchase of materials and built-in components, - quality assurance, - environmental management, - protection at work, - production planning, - production control, - logistics in manufacturing, - assistance in production management, - design of a technological documentation. 5

6 7 ROLE OF MENTORS IN COMPANY, SCHOOL AND INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Both mentors from company and school have very important role in planning of practical training. It depends on how well the students will learn about the objectives. At this stage, it the role of the mentor in company is very important because he must select appropriate task for student and lead him through practical training. Perfect and timely communication between mentors is also important, because this fact can has a large effect on the quality of practical training. Role of mentor in school: - together with mentor in company determines the course of practical training with respect to the basic and optional modules in company, - periodically monitors the work of student on practical training, - is responsible for communication between schools and company for execution of practical training, - participate in the design and derivation of seminar work of student, - reviews and evaluates the seminar work together with a mentor form the company, - is involved in acquiring a new companies for execution of practical training. Role of mentor in company: - is responsible for planning practical training for the 1st and 2nd years together with mentor from school, - is responsible to present the whole working process at plant where the student will perform practical training, - is responsible for student work on practical training and he leads and helps if student occurs by any problem, - communicates and collaborates with the mentor in school, - together with individual students determines the topic of tasks which student must be treated in the seminar paper, - directs and supervises the student work in the seminar paper, - review and access student work in seminar paper. 6

7 Practical training 8 ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS IN PRACTICAL TRAINING AND SEMINAR PROJECT Students must complete a specific task to fulfill demands of practical training that is given to the educational program and needs of the production process in the company. First, the student must sign a contract, which is tripartite and contain the obligations and rights of students, companies and schools. Student must perform specific work in production or other workplace in the first half of practical training in 1st year (about 4-5 weeks). And student must cooperate with the head of department or unit in his work (in planning, monitoring and realization of the goals and analyzing the state of the process) in the second half in 1st year (6-5 weeks). Student should also produce a paper in which he must describe one of the tasks carried out in consultation with mentor in the company in the second half of 2nd year. Student cooperates with the head of department or unit in his work (planning, monitoring and realization of the goals and analyzes the state of the process) in the first part of 2nd year (5 weeks) and devote most of time to the field of which will produce a thesis in the second part of 2nd year (5 weeks). Students must work with mentors, both within the company as well as in school. 9 ANALYSIS OF EXISTING PRACTICAL TRAINING Each study year is carried out with analysis of practical education, which is performed based on: - review existing implementation of practical training (material), - review results of surveys that have been conducted among the students of 1st and 2nd year, 7

8 - talk with mentors in the company. Visit company Implementation of the survey The questionnaire for students is designed based on objectives, which should be achieved by students in practical training. To facilitate the analysis of the results we divided questions into three groups. First group of questions covering area of direct labor in production, second group of questions deals with the scope of specific technical tasks that students perform and third group of questions covering general tasks and communication within the company. Analysis of the first set of arguments (work in production) Students in the majority of cases (70% - 80%) learn about work environment and work in the manufacturing process and become familiar with organization and company manufacturing process. They also learn about occupational safety and environmental protection in company. Analysis of the second set of arguments (Work on specific tasks) Targets of practical training are achieved in 60% to 70% of the students, only on the economic analysis of production costs, this objective is achieved and held for approximately 30% of all students (similar in the 1st and 2nd year). When working in laboratories and facilities in solving concrete problems of production results students of 2th year are better. This is understandable, since they have already received practical training in full in the 1st year. Analysis of the third set of arguments (Provision of general duties) In this context it appears that only a good half of the students (approximately 50% to 60%) learn about general elements of the production system as information system, computer 8

9 work and importance of the technical regulations and standards. This is understandable because the focus of the objectives in practical education in 1st year is more in first two sets of objectives. Most students (80% to 90%) stated that they had no particular problems on practical training and that the cooperation with mentor is good. Together with students we note the following facts to improve quality of practical training: - more cooperation and communication with mentor, - mentor should be more informed on topics of practical training, - students should get more concrete tasks, - on practical training should be less physical work, - students should have more time to analyze their work, - seminar paper should be adapted to smaller companies, - to know the production process better, - mentor from school should visit students in smaller companies too. Partnership Novo mesto, Drago Simončič 9