Best Practices

Cooperation level between a school and companies

Our school, Państwowe Szkoły Budownictwa (PSB), was grappling with the question of how to
reorient and modernize our didactic base after many years of communism. Running the school
workshops in a dynamically changing labour market meant close cooperation with leaders in the
construction field: material producers, tool producers, devices producers and their direct users –
executives in construction market. The analysis of the current and future producers’ and executives'
market indicated unambiguously, what should be the form of the cooperation and how it should be
realized, so that the needs of future staff in deficient professions would meet requirements made by
future employers. The school needs were defined together: techno didactic equipment, materials and
also requirements that should be fulfilled by the school towards the partner (company). Forms of
cooperation were based also on common definition of prospective aims having an influence on
both school development and benefits for companies. Only in this way is there clear understanding
in the cooperation between school – company and company – school allowing us to reach intended
goals with benefits for both interested sides. Cooperation with leading companies turned out to be a
unique initiative to improve the standard of our underinvested workshops. We have been fostering
successful cooperation since 1997 with such companies as: GEBERIT, BRAAS-MONIER,
KNAUF, FAKRO, JUNKERS, BOSCH, HETTICH, FIRTS, MAPEI, YTONG-XELLA,
ROCHWOOL, SANITEC KOŁO, OTTIMO, COMAP, ATLAS, VELUX, NIDA GIPS,
SCHIEDEL, WAYNE DALTON, APEKS, warehouses AL KOR, FEMAX, ATM, ASP, which are
leaders in the construction market not only in Poland but worldwide as well. In recent years the
scope of cooperation has widened considerably and has focused on transferring new technologies,
professional equipment, high quality materials, tools and devices for practical training. Moreover,
the connection with the labour market, meeting potential future employers, and gaining certificates
increases the possibility for our students to get an interesting job. Key to the success is unfettered
access to new technology coupled with the development of skills and abilities gained not only by
our students but also by teachers and trainers. Our trainers trained by companies can train another
interested people or workers from the labour market not connected with the school and use this paid
service as additional support to PSB.

Cooperation with a vocational school can be the most effective way for companies to ensure
introducing their own technology into the curriculum and gaining school graduates as employees
knowing the technology and materials used by them. Without a doubt we recognize here the
importance of an innovative way of widening the range of free advertisement. Another advantage
for companies is the possibility of using school facilities for their own commercial trainings.
Companies do not get money for using their own products during the training of external workers at
PSB, because they benefit from gaining know-how of their own products and technologies.

Most our students choose the workshop at PSB instead of having a placement in private firms
because of our quality and reputation of cooperating with companies, fully equipped training rooms,
and well qualified trainers and practitioners from companies. Apart from the obligatory curriculum
students gain additional qualifications in specific technologies by attending different courses.
Continuing education is one of the necessities in the rapidly changing labour market. Students
taking part in professional courses get a certificate issued by the company and the school, which
confirms their knowledge and skills in a specific technology. This fact has a significant influence on
their qualifications. Obtaining a certificate gives the graduates the possibility of getting a better job
on the executive market, because they are perceived by employers as qualified staff and do not need
additional investment in their training.

Successively equipped training rooms and tool rooms with new technological materials, tools and
didactic devices resulted that one of the biggest accredited exam centre of REB (Regional Exam
Board) is now located in our school, along with a few Training Centres of internationally
recognized producers.

BRAAS GEBERIT KNAUF

The companies which were involved in the project „Building the Best”