Connecting Employers and Schools in Order to Improve Vocational Education and Training in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Workshop within the EmployVET project

The first day of the workshop, held on February 20, 2025, at the premises of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH in Sarajevo, brought together a large number of representatives from both employers and schools. Through interactive discussions and group work, participants analysed the challenges and priorities in vocational education and training. The focus was on strengthening mutual understanding between educational institutions and the private sector and finding common solutions for improving cooperation and adapting educational programs to the needs of the labor market. Participants explored the concept of work-based learning, considering its application possibilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as relevant international practices. By conducting a SWOT analysis, they critically assessed the current state of vocational education, identified key challenges and proposed concrete measures to strengthen partnerships between schools and companies, with the aim of building a sustainable and efficient vocational education system.

The second day of the workshop, held on March 7, 2025, was dedicated to field training visit at the company Dizart d.o.o. in Sarajevo, specializing in the innovative repurposing and sale of robots. During the visit, participants were introduced to the company's educational centre, which offers training in programming and working with CNC and laser machines. This practical component of the workshop allowed participants to see first-hand how work-based learning can be implemented in the real sector, while exchanging experiences with mentors and demonstrating the application of advanced technologies in educational processes.

Across the two workshops organized by the project partners from BiH (SERDA and FTCBiH) in February and March 2025, more than 40 representatives of companies and schools took part. The workshops provided participants with the opportunity to collaborate and exchange experiences, resulting in concrete action plans for strengthening cooperation between the education and business sectors.

This workshop was organized within the project "Engaging Employers for a Relevant and Resilient Vocational Education and Training – EmployVET," funded by the EU Erasmus+ Programme. For more information about the project, you can contact us at +387 33 641-520 or via email at ajla@serda.ba and mirza.konjo@komorabih.ba.