Vocational schools still offer places as new academic year begins

Although the school year has already started, vocational schools in Latvia still have places available in various programmes, with additional admissions open until September 30, LSM reported.

Data compiled by the Ministry of Education and Science show that interest in vocational education has increased over the past five years. Since 2020, the number of students at technical schools and vocational secondary schools has risen by almost 4%. However, the State Education Development Agency said the institutions had not filled all available places this academic year.

Jēkabpils Technology School still has vacancies in almost all its programmes, its director Rita Pole said. Students can train in programming, cybersecurity, accounting and other fields.

The school also has a branch in Barkava, where two programmes failed to attract enough students to form groups. These are construction and building work, and landscape construction technicians.

“These are professions that are in high demand in the labour market, but unfortunately we were unable to fill the groups, and as a result these groups will not open for the first year,” Pole said.

She acknowledged that it is more difficult to attract students to a school in a rural area.

Jelgava Technical School has vacancies in only a few programmes. Director Janīna Rudzīte said the surveying technology programme, the only one of its kind in Latvia, had attracted less interest than in previous years. It has 18 students for 25 available places.

The school is also accepting students interested in furniture carpentry, computer systems and programming technician programmes.

Riga Tourism and Creative Industries Technical School is still accepting students for programmes including commercial employee and restaurant cook, which last four years. Places are also available in the hospitality services specialist programme, which trains restaurant waiters, said Artūrs Homins, the school’s head of career education.

Homins did not give a total number of vacancies because the situation changes constantly.

Representatives of the technical schools said September was also a period when students changed their choices. Some realise after starting their studies that they want to learn a different profession and switch programmes, while others decide to enrol at another school.