Reception of the Slovenian team arriving from the EuroSkills 2012 competition

Ljubljana, 17.10.2012  |  press release

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, received the team that represented Slovenia at the EuroSkills 2012 competition. Young people aged between 18 and 25 who have already developed their vocational skills take part in the competition. Emphasis is placed on applicative knowledge, to which the competition tasks are adapted. The main objective of the competition is to promote vocations which are either in deficit rare or have a poor image in society.

In his opening speech, Dr Türk stressed the importance of knowledge and skills that young people develop within the EuroSkills competition and in their vocations. These skills, according to Dr Türk, should be properly appreciated and better understood in our society. The President underlined that we are a part of Europe and that therefore it is right that we compete with others and try to be the best possible. In this regard, the President congratulated the Slovenian team, which achieved good results in the EuroSkills competition.

Miha Lovšin, from the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training, expressed his thanks to the President on behalf of all the Slovenian competitors, mentors and judges at the EuroSkills competition, as well as the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training, for the reception, which has great symbolic value and represents a confirmation of their work, and for the President’s support to their efforts in recent years.

In his opinion, employers who do not yet appreciate the value of such competition should be more actively engaged in the preparations for future competitions with a view to better integrating spheres of education and work and promoting the great advantages of vocational and professional training. This, however, involves the establishment of a direct connection between schooling and transition to the labour market. He added that, in the future, they wish to improve the selection system and the preparation of competitors for participation in the competition.

President Türk recalled that there had been some ups and downs in the history of vocational training in Slovenia in the past. He assessed that today we live in an era in which the understanding of the importance of vocational training will be further enhanced. “In the future, we have to have great confidence in vocational training, in the importance of knowledge and skills developed in this way, and in the relevance of European comparisons in this area, which can be of great help to us,” emphasised the President.