Vocational Skills Contest for "Installer of Sanitary Systems and Equipment 2021"

The contest will also serve to create a platform for strengthening the communication between vocational education institutions and business representatives, make the occupation of plumbing system installers more popular, create opportunities for plumbers to demonstrate theoretical knowledge and practical skills that will help them build successful careers.

Students of 22 vocational (technical) education institutions from different regions of Ukraine, also participants of the Public-Private Partnership for Improved Plumbing Education in Ukraine project, will take part in the contest. This contest will be held in two rounds. 

• June 1, 2021. The semi-final at the Kyiv Regional Higher Vocational School of Construction
• June 2, 2021. The final, which will be part of the festival “Install Fest Ukraine 2021”

The contest is organized in the framework of the Public-Private Partnership for Improved Plumbing Education in Ukraine project, which is implemented with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Geberit Trading LLC. The project is implemented by Swisscontact with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Three questions to Sonja Loosli from Swisscontact Ukraine

Why does Swisscontact organise a skills competition?

Participating in a nation-wide skills competition is a highlight for any student in vocational school because it gives them the opportunity to put into practise what they have learned during the year by competing with students from other schools. Participating or even winning in such a competition is a remarkable achievement that the finalists can be proud of. On top of that, the competition is held during the Installfest, a well-known trade fair where all major companies from the industry are present. This gives the finalists an excellent opportunity to network with potential employers.

What is different this year?

Unlike in previous competitions, this year there will be a little element of surprise: During the second day of the competition, the finalists will compete in pairs. When they arrive at the site of the competition, the students will be assigned a colleague randomly. This means that they do not know previously who they will be working with. We believe that teamwork is an important skill in today’s working reality, therefore we want to emphasize this aspect in the competition. It will be one of the evaluation criteria during the tasks.

What do you expect from the competition?

A skills competition is an excellent opportunity for the students and the accompanying masters to exchange with fellow professionals and companies from all over Ukraine. We hope that these connections last beyond the event – that they continue to exchange about new technologies and new trends in plumbing. We want to bring vocational schools closer to businesses to make sure what young plumbers learn is relevant for the labor market. Last but not least, we hope that this event will make the plumbing profession more popular so that more young people will consider getting a vocational diploma in plumbing.