17 young people of Vocational school Valmiera, starting the school year 2013/2014, takes part in a pilot project, to acquire job skills needed indeed for their future profession. Different to the methods used till now, the educational institutions of a pilot project implemented the elements of the dual education system for apprenticeship, planning a crucial larger part of practical trainings in the enterprise.
Without Vocational school Valmiera there are six educational institutions in Latvia implemented the system or the elements of dual education. Alternative term is „professional education based on work environment”. The dual education prefers an elastic training schedule accordingly to the specific of the profession – the theoretical education alternates with work experience in the company. Besides the youths has a possibility to become a salary for the job in the company.
In Valmiera the dual education proceeds in company „Valmieras stikla šķiedra” where apprentices spend the most time of education. Now through the dual education absorb apprentices the knowledge of professional education program „Textile production technology and product manufacturing”, but it is already thought to adapt other educational programs to the dual art of education.
Apprentices are spending three days per week at the company, where they absorb the knowledge of the textile industry – Manufacturing technologies, Professional terminology, Occupational and environmental protection etc. but anyway the focus is on practical factory-training. Soon apprentices will be training their skills so after the apprenticeship they could work in one of five to six specialities of textile industry.