Vocational Education and Training Center Žirmūnai

 

Vocational Education and Training Center Žirmūnai started its activity in 2019, after merging two strong educational institutions: Vilnius Tourism and Commerce School and Vilnius Žirmūnai Labour Market Training Center. Thus, VET centre Žirmūnai is a young, yet mature institution with its own vision, mission and strong values.

It is important to emphasize that by 2019 September 1st Vilnius Tourism and Commerce School and Vilnius Žirmūnai Labour Market Training Center acted as two separate entities with their own stories, the significance and importance of which is reflected in the current context of VET Centre Žirmūnai.

Vilnius Tourism and Commerce School was established in 1945, at the end of World War II. The institution sought to serve the public interest by organizing educational and vocational training activities. It provided opportunities to acquire secondary education, qualifications and / or competences corresponding to the modern level of science, technology, economics and culture, helping students to establish themselves and compete in the constantly changing labour market.

Vilnius Žirmūnai Labour Market Training Center started it activity in 1985 as a VET provider for adult learners and unemployed people. It was one of the largest vocational training centers in Lithuania providing training, retraining, qualification improvement and vocational rehabilitation services in close cooperation with employers and public employment services.

VET Centre Žirmūnai offers high-quality education for young people, adults and people in employment. It is a public provider of initial and continuous vocational training programmes based in Vilnius, with its branch departments located in the northern, north-eastern and southern parts of Lithuania.

The Centre offers a diverse range of courses and excellent facilities in the following areas and trades:

  • Restaurants, Hotels and Tourism
  • Beauty Care
  • Social and Health Care
  • Business, Trade and Administration
  • Information and Communications Technology

 

The number of students enrolled in initial VET programmes is over 1000, while adult education and re-training courses are provided to approx. 3000 people yearly. Forms of training implementation vary from blended learning to apprenticeship training.

The training is performed in the workshops and laboratories equipped with up-to-date machinery and tools. Two sectoral practical training centres (Hotel & Restaurant and Trade & Business) have been established at the school to offer modern practical training environment to VET students, unemployed people, higher education students (who can use the practical training centres for internships and practical training sessions) and employees of enterprises.

VET Centre Zirmunai has established close networking links with employers and local industry, which ensure that the courses prepare students for the careers they intend to pursue. It is a member of AEHT – Association of European Hotel and Tourism Schools, Vilnius Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, other sector related associations and organizations.

Another specific field of the Centre‘s activities is provision of vocational rehabilitation. Persons with complex disabilities are given the opportunity to learn in 36 formal and non-formal programmes, improve their working skills and psychologically prepare for successful integration into the labor market.

The Centre has been actively involved in different national and European projects and has developed close cooperation with a number of European VET institutions The Centre posseses extensive experience in transnational cooperation, such as students and staff mobilities, international research and development projects, transfer of technical know-how.