Meeting the challenge of declining tech school enrollment

Technical educators face the difficult challenge of training enough tradespeople to meet rising industry demand. Yet, over the past twenty years, the number of students choosing technical education as a career has fallen by 50 percent. Like other technical education providers, Vrij Technisch Instituut Roeselare (VTI Roeselare) in Belgium has seen the number of applicants decline. The school offers courses in building, woodwork, mechanics, electricity, painting and decorating, and industrial sciences for students who have finished primary school, (typically completed at the age of 12). Attracting more students requires more engagement from teachers as well as paying a great deal of attention to transferring knowledge and skills in a practical manner.

At VTI Roeselare, the focus is on using practical work to help students develop marketplace insights and acquire real-world skills. The mechanics department offers two points of focus: automotive technology and mechanical design, and teaches mechanical engineering, sanitation and central heating, bodywork, industrial maintenance and construction. General knowledge and technical schooling are important, as are practical skill sets. The use of Solid Edge® software and NX™ software from product lifecycle management (PLM) specialist Siemens Digital Industries Software is helping VTI Roeselare students acquire engineering experience that can be immediately employed upon graduation, whether at a university or in the work environment.

Students who plan to pursue higher education can follow a more theoretical curriculum in which much attention is paid to providing a solid scientific basis for both technical subject matter and practical testing. Options include electro mechanics and industrial sciences. Each course lasts six years. In the seventh year, students choose a specialization, and after successfully completing the final year, they can enroll at a university.