The project “Vocational Education: Autonomy of the Future (PAM)” has moved into one of its most important phasesmentoring support. Twenty-three vocational education institutions are working with 14 mentors to implement their ideas and deliver projects aimed at strengthening institutional autonomy.
Why is mentoring an underestimated resource for vocational institutions?
Traditionally, vocational institutions are used to a different kind of support: equipment, renovations, study visits. These things matter, but they aren’t enough when the goal is systemic change.
Mentoring support within the PAM program means:
- a carefully matched expert for a school’s specific needs;
- transfer of knowledge, management experience, and tools, including from the private sector;
- advice for better decision-making;
- hands-on support for the school team during project implementation.
What are institutions working on within the program?
The projects differ widely, but they all focus on autonomy in action, including:
- developing new business models and commercializing services;
- establishing a supervisory board;
- introducing monitoring and evaluation systems;
- creating a qualification center;
- implementing digital tools;
- building partnerships with businesses and communities;
- improving energy efficiency;
- updating curricula to match labor market demand.
These ideas have already gone through a pitching process and are now receiving professional mentoring support.
One more unexpected, but important bonus
Active participation in the PAM program also helps schools exchange successful experience and effective solutions. One example is the Mukachevo Vocational Polytechnic College, which managed to establish a Training and Practical Center for Climate Technologies and Energy-Saving Systems and develop a relevant training program for students.
Denys Vorobets, a teacher of specialized disciplines and an electronics and radio engineering specialist at the Mukachevo college, became a mentor for Higher Vocational School No. 25 in Khmelnytskyi, sharing his institution’s expertise. The goal of this mentoring support is to strengthen the school’s ability to respond to energy challenges flexibly and autonomously.
The project “Vocational Education: Autonomy of the Future” is implemented by the NGO EasyBusiness with financial support from the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark under the multi-donor initiative Skills4Recovery, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Ukraine) GmbH and Solidarity Fund PL in Ukraine (SFPL). Information partner: Vchiysia.Media.