About
about
About Our Project
The Erasmus+ KA122-VET project, titled “Empowering Serbian Youth by Mastering CNC and PLC Technologies,” is a dynamic project implemented by Tehnička škola “Ivan Sarić.” This short-term mobility project, financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, offers vocational students international internship opportunities in high-demand industries.
In response to the increasing demand for proficient individuals in CNC machining and PLC automation, our institution developed this project in order to connect theoretical knowledge with practical application. It provides students with practical training in premier companies in Turkey:
AB Market Otomasyon, specializes in Programmable Logic Controller technologies and Istanbul Reklam, a leader in CNC-driven manufacturing and advertising systems.
The project emphasizes employability, technical literacy, and equity, providing Serbian students access to advanced skills and foreign work experience.
This effort strengthens the connection between vocational education and industry requirements while advancing European values such as mobility, inclusivity, and innovation. This experience enables students to augment their technical skills while also fostering personal growth, self-confidence, cultural awareness, and a global perspective.
Background and Needs
Serbia’s vocational education sector has made significant progress in recent years; however, there are still significant obstacles, particularly in technical fields such as Electrical Engineering, Metal Processing, and Mechanical Engineering. The fundamental problem is an ongoing mismatch between the practical requirements of contemporary industries and the theoretical knowledge that is taught in schools.
A recent internal survey at our school showed that: 78% of students in Metal Processing and 73% in Electrical Engineering believe that their theoretical knowledge is stronger than their practical skills.
This finding echoes data from Cedefop(European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) (2023), which emphasizes the urgent need for VET systems to align more closely with labor market requirements and emerging technologies.
“Rapid innovation in sectors like automation and smart manufacturing demands continuous updates in vocational training systems.”
Cedefop Skills Forecast, 2023/2025 Skills Forecast (baseline to 2035)
2024-1-RS01-KA122-VET-000240191
