First mine apprentices will graduate from the school this year

Loud music from the main entrance of the High School of Technology and Services in Karviná lured to enter and participate in Open Day in 11th January.

 "This year we decided for the first time to have Open Day in one day, from 10 AM to 5 PM; in the past, we've organized these events in afternoons. Up to now, it looks like it is working. We counted 160 visitors from the morning," Iva Sandrinová, Principal of the school
welcomed us at 2 PM.

The event was well organized. School students immediately at the door took care of visitors and led them to the dining room. They got the basic information here, and then, accompanied by school teachers went on an excursion. "In the morning, school counselors with students of eighth and ninth grades visited us, in the afternoon came children with parents and representatives of companies," said Jiří Navrátil, Deputy Director for practical teaching.

Iva Sandrinová, Principal of the school expected the biggest strain in the afternoon. School does not have a problem with the fulfillment of apprenticeship, and expects a big event this year - young mechanics and electricians will complete their education for the first time in twenty years. "We have 108 students and 37 of them are heading to a successful completion," Sandrinová said. Roughly a thousand students are studying in the apprenticeship or in high school fields.

We are walking through the individual school classrooms, seeing the equipment and meet with the others who are interested in more information. We meet Jaromír Maslovský, one of the class teachers for electricians, who are studying for OKD in electro class room. And we have to ask them for the study results. "They are doing very well. Those who started to study will also finish the school, which means everybody. From total 26 in my class-room, 16 are electricians on the surface and ten in the underground. They are studying with better than average grades, and two or three of them even have higher studying results," the class teacher assessed. According to him, it's pretty difficult study, because the mines are using modern technology today, which requires genuine specialists.

Navrátil, Deputy Director praised the excellent cooperation with OKD, which supplies the school by current teaching materials about today's technology used in mines. And this will also help us to open, a new four-year degree with graduation - Mechanic of mining machinery and equipment, in September this year. "We expect that candidates will take exams in Czech and mathematics for this field. After graduation, they will have a job in OKD mining company. This is highly valued today," Iva Sandriová, Principal of the school, concluded.

Anna Vidiševská