Romania is the beneficiary of 10 million Swiss francs in funding for the development of dual education, provided under the second Swiss contribution, the Switzerland – Romania Chamber of Commerce said in a release issued on the occasion of the conference on ‘The Power of Partnership across Countries and Industries for Excellence in Dual Education’, organized on Thursday in Brasov by the said business networking organization.
The dual education development program is intended to support the integration of young people into the labor market through dual vocational training, offering them practical skills directly at the workplace. Also, the capacities of employers, professional associations and public institutions will be strengthened to create together a more efficient vocational education system that truly responds to the needs of the economy. The program is implemented by the National Center for the Development of Vocational and Technical Education (CNDIPT) in partnership with the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET) and benefits from a 15% co-financing from the Romanian government.
More than 70 leaders from administration, education, business, educational NGOs and parents’ federations participated in the conference held under the auspices of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce.
Representatives of the companies present spoke about the Swiss dual education system, in which two-thirds of secondary school graduates follow the dual education path and are quickly integrated into the labor market, while also having the opportunity to continue their tertiary studies.
„Switzerland shows us that dual education is a strategic investment, not a plan B. In Switzerland, 65% of the youth aged between 15 and 19 follow a form of vocational education in the dual system. It is a strategic choice which offers young people a solid career, and companies – the skilled workforce they need. Romania also has the potential to build an efficient dual education system, adapted to the local context, through functional partnerships between local administration, schools and companies,” said Adriana Cioca, president of the Switzerland – Romania Chamber of Commerce.
„The event in Brasov proved that dual education already has solid examples of best practice in Romania, supported by employers, schools and local authorities. We also have external funding, through the Swiss Contribution Program, but the key remains the authentic cooperation between the state and the private sector. Real partnerships are the foundation of a solid professional future for young people and a sustainable investment for the Romanian society,” said Alina Savu, coordinator of the Education Working Group of the Switzerland – Romania Chamber of Commerce.
