On 17.08.2022, the first international seminar of the new academic year was held in Särevere Campus.
An acute shortage of teaching staff and professional young specialists in the water management sector will significantly affect the provision of water supply and wastewater collection and treatment services that are critically important to society. Thus, a significant environmental protection and public safety risks can be faced in a lot of municipalities in close future. In order to adress the long-term painful problem Latvian Water and Wastewater Works Association (LUKA) in strong co-operation with Estonian Water Companies Association (Eesti Vee-ettevõtete Liit, EVEL) are implementing Erasmus+ KA210-VET - Small-scale partnerships in vocational education and training programme project “Development of vocational education in the field of environment” (No. 2021-2-LV01-KA210-VET-000048720).
In terms of the project, on 17th of August professionals from both organisations and water sector and education experts from Latvia and Estonia gathered in the second project workshop held in Järva County Vocational Training Centre (Järvamaa Kutsehariduskeskus) to exchange the experience in development and realisation of vocational education programmes for training of new environmental protection specialists and water and wastewater systems operators.
Sandis Dejus, executive director of LUKA, noted that while in Estonia, a very small number of young specialists are currently being trained in vocational education institutions, in Latvia, such an educational program that would prepare operators of water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities does not exist at all. In addition, the average age of those employed in the water management sector is much higher than 50 years, thus in the next decade, with the rapid approach of the retirement age of specialists, the continuity of the provision of relevant services is threatened, which may cause significant disruptions in health care and environmental protection.
The main goal of the project is the need to prevent human-caused environmental pollution, which is associated with an acute labour shortage in the water management sector. In order to achieve the fulfilment of this task, the need to develop the competence of teachers of professional educational institutions in the field of environmental sustainability by organizing and leading experience exchange seminars and trainings, as well as to promote the interest of pedagogues in providing a future-oriented and demanded curriculum in the labour market - the profession of environmental equipment technician - has been prioritized.
The previous seminar was held on 9th and 10th June in Latvia.
