Dual education programs provide young people with essential skills to integrate more effectively into the labor market. Businesses that invest in dual vocational education also stand to gain. The benefits of a dual education program implemented at 22 companies with EU support during September 2023-August 20024 were discussed during an IPN debate on Friday.
 
Sergiu Harea, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted that dual education is an alternative form of staff training, simultaneously at companies and at vocational institutions. Over the past decade, the number of those interested in this form of training has increased significantly. In 2014 there was just one such partnership with 25 students involved, and now the number stands at over 70 companies, with more than 1,500 young people participating in dual education.

In his opinion, the most important thing in dual education is that apprentices enjoy guiding from master instructors and also learning conditions in the company. The development partners, Germany and Switzerland, supported the training of the master instructors, but also ensured the compliance of the participating companies. As part of the project, more than 60 master instructors were trained, 80 companies were ensured to be compliant, and 22 companies received grants to buy modern equipment to be used in practical training. Dual education takes place for 1-2 years, and many young people after one year stay to work in the host companies.

Aliona Colesnic, HR manager at the Ionel garment factory, believes that dual education is a particularly important project, because students are offered the opportunity to be prepared to enter the labor market at the end of their study. Ionel has been participating in dual education since 2022, cooperating with the Căușeni Vocational School and the Light Industry Center of Excellence, with two other vocational schools, from Leova and Ștefan Vodă, to join the partnership soon.

Ionel participated in the EU-funded program where the factory earned a grant to buy modern equipment and machinery that helped students do quality practice. There is also the certificate of conformity at the enterprise, obtained thanks to the support of the CCI. Also, the factory has a master instructor who holds a training certificate, works side by side with the students and gives them all the necessary guidance.

Galina Rusu, state secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research, said that in dual education 70% of the study period is spent in apprenticeship, and for the education outcome it is important that the partner company is compliant. Compliance is achieved under the guidance of CCI. The key element is what actually happens in the learning workshop, and then it is extremely important that the equipment that students use in learning is diverse and modern.

One criteria for providing support is related to the number of students in dual education, so that the equipment is used not only for improving production lines, but more importantly for the vocational training process. This year, the Ministry is planning a number of 2,000 students in dual education. There are now 178 companies that want to get involved in dual education. Currently the second round of admission to dual education is taking place, and to date more than 900 students signed up.

The debate titled “European support for the Moldovan industry” was the fourth installment of IPN’s “Benefits of EU accession” Series, funded by the Soros Moldova Foundation.