The growing generation gap, the stereotypical picture of work in industry among young people and the lack of appropriate industry education are problems faced by the employers of the steel industry. Alone, they will not be able to change the situation, which seems to be more difficult year by year.
That is why today in Katowice, the Association of Steel Industry Employers, of which ArcelorMittal Poland is a member, signed a letter of intent concerning cooperation with the Silesian school curator. Cooperation is not only a paper declaration - both employers from the metallurgical industry, as well as the education board, Silesian schools and local governments are well aware that real changes are necessary, thanks to which vocational schools will educate students in occupations currently sought on the labor market.
Demand for workers in heavy industry is high, but it is difficult to find employees ready to undertake such work, properly educated and trained. Those that do not have to be implemented to work from scratch. It is necessary to undertake such activities that will allow young people to be educated, emphasizing practical vocational training. Students should not only spend time in school benches, expanding their theoretical knowledge, but get acquainted with the practical side of the profession while practicing in an industrial plant. Here, under the supervision of an experienced employee, they are able to learn the most. The common task of us as employers and educational institutions is to ensure that such teaching is the most attractive for young people - stresses Stanisław Ból, head of social dialogue at ArcelorMittal Poland, who on behalf of ZPPH signed a letter of intent.
The educational offer of vocational schools should be adapted to the needs of the labor market and educate in future professions. Therefore, the Silesian school board, schools and local governments will exchange knowledge and experience in the field of industry and technical education with employers from the steel industry and create new solutions together, among others expanding the educational offer in industry and technical schools in the Śląskie Voivodeship.
An important area of cooperation will also be the continuous improvement of teachers' qualifications, whose scope of knowledge and skills must keep pace with the dynamically developing labor market and demand. In order for the whole project to be successful, you need to take care of one more, most important issue - the promotion of vocational education. Without changing the stereotype of the steel industry, usually associated with physical work, and not with the work of an engineer controlling installations behind the computer monitor, all efforts will not bring the desired effect.
A social campaign showing the attractiveness of physical work is an indispensable element of the work that we must jointly carry out in order to build teams consisting of well-educated and competent employees for whom the work in the steelworks will be developing - emphasizes Monika Roznerska, the human resources director of ArcelorMittal Poland. - Thanks to campaigns or programs broadcast in the media, professions such as a dancer, cook or youtuber become popular and fashionable. Meanwhile, the profession of a metallurgist, who in the past was a traditional occupation, passed down from generation to generation, lost the attractiveness of the young generation. Our goal should be to overthrow this stereotype and ensure that the steelwork's work becomes desirable and well perceived as other attractive professions using intelligent technologies that bring professional and financial satisfaction to young people - she concludes.
