President Milanović Visits Industrial and Craft School, Regional Competence Centre in Šibenik
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today visited the Industrial and Craft School in Šibenik, which serves as the coordinating body for the Regional Competence Centre for Mechanical Engineering.
After attending a meeting with the School’s administration, during which he was briefed on the Regional Competence Centre project, President Milanović remarked on the School’s appeal to pupils, highlighting its significance as a criterion for selecting an educational institution. “It can be seen in the way the School is growing and transforming itself, in order to attract pupils. They are mostly boys from the neighbouring communities, with fewer from Šibenik. When they enter the workforce, they’ll fare well financially, because they will have high enough incomes so they won’t have to look at every receipt in stores, where food prices run wild, as is the case here,” noted President Milanović after his visit to the Industrial and Craft School in Šibenik and the Regional Competence Centre construction site.
In 2018, the Industrial and Craft School in Šibenik, established by Šibenik-Knin County, was designated as a Regional Competence Centre for the mechanical engineering subsector, serving Šibenik-Knin County, Split-Dalmatia County, and Dubrovnik-Neretva County. This recognition was bestowed upon the school in acknowledgment of its outstanding educational accomplishments.
Zoran Živković, the Director of the Industrial and Craft School, briefed President Milanović on the ARS MECHANICA Regional Competence Centre, where the School has undertaken two significant projects. As part of one project, the Centre was equipped with essential workshops and practical facilities, along with state-of-the-art equipment required for both regular education and adult education programmes, focusing particularly on addressing skill shortages and occupations in demand in the labour market. This initiative to enhance the infrastructure and furnish the Regional Centre was financially supported by the European Regional Development Fund, with the project scheduled to conclude in April of this year.
The second project, finalized in October 2023, successfully met the criteria for effective vocational education and facilitated collaboration among all essential stakeholders. It was financed from the European Social Fund and it sets up the Regional Centre and its development. The project also deals with the advancement and implementation of regular and adult education, the strengthening of the competencies of educational workers and mentors with the employers, and with the promotion of skilled trade careers.
During the remainder of his visit to the Industrial and Craft School in Šibenik, President Milanović was given a tour of the ARS MECHANICA Regional Competence Centre. Accompanied by Zoran Živković, the School Director, Mirjana Škugor, the Regional Centre Project Coordinator, Biljana Gulin, the Development Agency Director, and Željko Šimunac, the Development Agency Deputy Director, President Milanović had the opportunity to explore the facilities.
In addition to the representatives from the Industrial and Craft School and the Development Agency, the presentation and tour of the Centre were attended by representatives from Šibenik-Knin County, including County Prefect Marko Jelić and his deputies Iris Ukić Kotarac and Ognjen Vukmirović. President Milanović was accompanied by Orsat Miljenić, Head of the Office of the President of the Republic, and Melita Mulić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas