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City Bijeljina

Survey at the Secondary schools career fair

Administration of the City of Bijeljina – Section for Local Economic Development and European Integration, in cooperation with the Citizens’ Association Novi dan (New day) from Banja Luka and organisation Solidar Suisse, organised the Secondary schools career fair for the fifth time. The transition from primary to secondary school is an important life event and a stressful period for both children and parents. The choice of school, and the future occupation, is one of the first important decisions of a child. How to choose the right secondary school, what schools and occupations are there? These are only some of the questions children ask themselves before enrolment into a secondary school.
 
Education system is the most important element of life and development infrastructure of each individual, society and country, because their overall effect determines the scope, quality and effects of building and using all other systems and resources, as well as overall quality of life and development potentials of individuals and community. Therefore, the education system should be developed in such a way to fulfil its role in a timely, high-quality and efficient manner.
 
Education system is intended to educate people in a timely, high-quality and efficient manner in accordance with the developmental commitments towards sustainability, and to respond to the educational needs of people throughout their lives. Accordingly, the education system has a role of the key development factor, because highly educated population is the right resource for proper use of natural and other inherited resources.
 
Administration of the City of Bijeljina – Section for Local Economic Development and European Integration conducted a survey in order to analyse the situation on the labour market in the Bijeljina region in relation to existing occupations at secondary vocational schools. The survey covered 54 companies and 37 (68.50%) of them pointed out that when they start working, the workers need additional training in order to work independently. The general problem is the fact that companies always need experienced professional qualified workers, which are hard to find. Students who complete secondary education cannot work independently, because practical lessons they attend are not at the appropriate level and they do not follow technology and the ways the companies operate. 31 (57.40%) of the surveyed companies pointed out that they had problems finding adequate work force, and that the new workers often do not have the necessary knowledge or skills, so they need additional education at the companies. All companies pointed out the problem of computer illiteracy, bad practical and even theoretical knowledge. To the question whether they had troubles finding workers with specific knowledge, 31 (57.40%) answered yes. 43 (79.60%) companies answered that they planned to hire new workers in the next three years.
 
It is obvious that the current education system has many problems, asking for actions to eliminate them or to make improvements while taking care to efficiently respond to the needs of the economy, and to the newly emerged needs and demands of the labour market. In this sense, the primary task is improving the quality of education by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the education system.
 
In the long run, the fair contributes to decreasing unemployment in the City of Bijeljina. The goal of the fair is to inform the students of the final year of primary school about all existing occupations in the secondary schools in the City of Bijeljina, as well as raising awareness of the students and parents about professional occupations and options for employment after completion of a vocational school.
 
All six secondary schools from the City of Bijeljina attended the fair, together with several successful companies that have good cooperation with the schools – mostly in the form of practical lessons. These companies provided some useful advice and suggestions to future secondary school students regarding the future plans, occupation choice and employment.