Per Beck (Principal. Fjerritslev Gymnasium), Henrik Nyby (EUC Northwest), Jens Andersen (HHU) Keld Nielsen (Scaniro) and Anders Jørgensen (Development Manager at Migatronic).

Science first at HHU

From FJERRITSLEV UGEAVIS, Tuesday 22 May 2012

By Pernille Kragh Madsen
pm70(at)nordjyske.dk

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Han Herred Ungdomsskole (HHU) have - together with three other schools - received DKK 4 million from The Industry Foundation. Money will go to develop the natural sciences. HHU is the only school in North Jutland, which is included in the pilot project.

The intention is to make it more attractive to take an internship in the industry and to choose a more technical science education, where a job in the industry is the goal.

The project will start next school year and the new line of HHU will be called Science First. The teaching of technical and scientific subjects is intensified while teaching is project-based, in cooperation with local businesses.

"In addition to cooperation with local companies - educational institutions like the high school in Fjerritslev and the technical high school in Thisted EUC Northwest will participate as coaching partners," says Jens Andersen from HHU.

Labour shortages

Keld Nielsen, director of Scaniro, have embraced the initiative with open arms.

"We have had a period where it has been difficult to recruit enough trainees and apprentices, so it's important to us that the focus is placed on the technical vocational educations," says Keld Nielsen. Anders Jørgensen, Development Manager at Migatronic, nods in agreement.

"For us to be able to keep production here, requires that we have skilled people available. But it requires a focus on the area thus creating an interest among young people here," he says.

Henrik Nyby from EUC Northwest and Per Bech from Fjerritslev High School is also enthusiastic about the initiative.

"If more students gain experience and become aware of these opportunities, it will become ultimately easier for them to choose the right direction and ultimately choose the right training," they all agree.

Image

The industry is struggling with its image.

"It is simply not attractive to have a job that is both hot and filthy. It does not seem appealing. But there are many other functions, so it is about making the industry more attractive," says Henrik Nyby, who points that with a more project-based study in 10th class in cooperation with company placement opportunities, then the young people will also gain more understanding of subjects such as mathematics and physics.

"The subjects are simply more application-oriented and interesting" says Nyby.

In addition to HHU the project includes the boarding school Flakkebjerg by Slagelse and Dejbjerglund by Skjern.

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