MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

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Nowadays, the Ministry of Education and its subordinate organizations have established an effective interaction with personnel customers for young specialists to be in demand on the labor market. Much attention is paid to the quality of the educational process, curricula and programs are updated, the material and technical base of colleges and competency centers is improved, the content of an existing specialty is adjusted taking into account the requirements of the employer, new specialties in priority areas of the economy become available as well.

The focus is on advanced preparation. Educational programs are designed in such a way as to provide in-demand specialists even years later.

To date, the total number of students at the levels of vocational and secondary specialized education in the 2023/2024 academic year is about 176 thousand. And the figure is soaring every year. The awareness of young people and their parents about training and professional development opportunities in the interaction of educational institutions and organizations in the real sector of the economy soars as well.

In this entrance campaign, about 39.5 thousand applicants will be admitted to the level of secondary specialized education, of which about 28.4 thousand people will be accepted for the budget form of education, and about 11.1 thousand people will be admitted to study on a paid basis.

The largest number of applicants are traditionally accepted in such educational profiles as “engineering, manufacturing and construction industries” (more than 30%), “business, management and law” (about 16%), “health care and social protection” (more than 13%), “agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary medicine” (about 9%) and “pedagogy” (about 8%).

New specialties will be inaugurated as well - “technical operation of mechatronic e-produced systems”, “production of micro- and nano-electronic products”, “operation of measuring instruments”. All these specialties involve working in high-tech industries with modern equipment.

It is worth noting that for applicants who plan to enter the secondary specialized education level, the threshold for admission under the conditions of targeted training has been increased. Previously, it was possible to enroll up to 60 percent of target students in the specialty of agriculture and health care and up to 30 percent in other areas. Currently, the threshold for all specialties is set at 50 percent, and for agriculture and health care at 60 percent. Thus, for potential applicants and organizations that submit applications under the conditions of targeted training, they have got better chances now.

As for the level of vocational education, it is tentatively planned to admit about 26.6 thousand people. Basically, in the structure of admission to the vocational education level, the leading educational profiles are “engineering, manufacturing and construction industries” (more than 70%) and “agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary medicine” (more than 13%). Specialties in the real sector of the economy make up about 75% of the training structure.

Very important issue! - institutions of vocational education can increase the target numbers for admission to specialties in demand by the economy until August 22, that is, in fact, until the penultimate day of accepting documents.

According to information from the Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Vocational Education - Head of the Department of Vocational and Secondary Specialized Education of the Ministry of Education, Alexandra Petrova, in the labor market the demand for college graduates significantly exceeds the supply.

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Alexandra Petrova believes that obtaining a VTE or GSE diplomas should not be considered as the ultimate destination of professional development: “On the vocational education level, a graduate will receive two or three working professions - for example, a welder and driver, a tractor driver and a machine repairman. Afterwards, he can choose the shortened form of GSE or enter a university on a general basis. College graduates can receive higher education in a shortened period of time (mainly through correspondence education).”