Nowadays development of agro-industrial complex and agriculture is impossible without innovative technological developments whose implementation requires young and progressive specialists with high level of skill and motivation.

During today's press conference at the Press Center of the House of Press, competent specialists representing the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, specialized agricultural universities and colleges of the country discussed the prospects of the agro-industrial complex of Belarus, considered the issues of distributing graduates of agricultural universities to agricultural organizations of the country, as well as innovations in the programs of training and preparation of future specialists.

The speakers detailed about the most popular professions, practice-oriented training, reported on the conditions established in our country to stimulate scientific and technical research to improve the agricultural sector.

The head of the Department of Vocational and Secondary Specialized Education of the Ministry of Education, Alexandra Petrova, took on the floor and immediately outlined the main concept: "The education system traditionally answers three questions - whom we train, what we teach and how we teach."

In 2024, there are 33 educational institutions training personnel in secondary specialized education for the agricultural sector in 11 specialties. The recruitment is about 4 thousand people. Almost twice as many such institutions at the level of vocational and technical education. The training of workers for agricultural organizations is carried out in 5 specialties and 14 qualifications in 64 colleges. The annual recruitment is about 3 thousand people.

Alexandra Petrova emphasized that the system of vocational and secondary specialized education is integrated into a single type of educational institution - college. Today, there are three types of colleges, those implementing programs of only secondary specialized education, certain colleges only vocational and technical education programs and those implementing programs of both vocational and secondary specialized education, 293 institutions in all.

Moreover, all colleges also implement educational programs of additional education for adults who are engaged in professional training and retraining, advanced training of workers and employees, including for the agro-industrial complex.

It was also noted that at the level of general secondary education, since 2018, vocational training has been operating in primary classes within the framework of the subject "Labor training", with agricultural professions being in demand: as tractor drivers, vegetable growers. Children willingly attend such classes. Thus, today about 3 thousand motivated students study these professions in Belarusian schools.

The key focus is on 9th grade graduates, so that already in college, children receive both a general secondary education, master the content of the third stage, and receive either 2-3 working professions or the qualification of a mid-level specialist. The position of the Ministry of Education is unanimous in setting tasks for colleges: a graduate must be as competitive as possible in the labor market.

At the same time, it is very important for the education system to promptly respond not only to the changes that are currently taking place in the re-equipment of farms with cutting-edge machines, but also to stay on way for the technologies of the future. For this purpose, the country is actively working to improve the national qualification system. Thus, under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Sectoral Council of Qualifications was inaugurated with the help of leading educational institutions, specialists of the Ministry of Education. The council is engaged in the development of professional standards.

In Belarus, 52 competence centers in the system of secondary specialized education are successfully operating and stuffed with the latest equipment, designed to ensure the development of advanced labor methods for all industry-oriented specialties of the country. Of these, 8 are in the agricultural sector.

The speakers also emphasized on the issue of material incentives and guarantees provided for young specialists in agricultural professions.

It was noted that in the agro-industrial complex, the most in-demand specialists are zoo-veterinary specialists - veterinarians and veterinary paramedics, and zoo-technicians.

According to the rector of the Belarusian State Order of the October Revolution and the Red Banner of Labor Agricultural Academy Vitaly Velikanov, an important role in retaining personnel is assigned to employers. They must be the first to be interested in retaining specialists, creating favorable conditions for their work and rest, providing decent wages and comfortable housing.

“We need to strengthen career guidance work and sign more contracts for targeted training of specialists not only among rural but also urban youth. It is also necessary to establish close cooperation with educational institutions providing vocational education. Assisting a young specialist get comfortable in his first job is the task of mentors from among experienced workers,” the rector said.

Note: since the beginning of August, more than 55 thousand young specialists have taken their first job across the country. The state provides decent guarantees so that young people start successfully and make a bright career.