At the Higher Vocational College, School Centre Kranj, we continuously strive to strengthen cooperation with companies and organisations in the local community and beyond. An important element in ensuring our students’ competitiveness in the labour market is the acquisition of practical knowledge and professional experience in real working environments. We are proud to cooperate with more than 500 companies and organisations, all of which are part of our network of partners providing Practical Training.
Many of these partners also provide equipment used by students during laboratory practical classes. In this way, we keep pace with technological developments while enabling companies to become familiar with future professionals who already have experience using their equipment. In November 2015, as part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the School Centre Kranj, we signed a Partnership Agreement with 24 companies, establishing the Konektor Partnership Network. Through this agreement, all partners committed themselves to jointly contribute to:
developing new study programmes that reflect employers’ needs,
designing customised training programmes for employers,
addressing the shortage of qualified professionals,
reducing the mismatch between existing study programmes and labour market demand,
ensuring the continuous exchange of knowledge between industry and educational institutions.
These activities provide our students with excellent opportunities for their first employment.
In recent years, we have also organised an annual Employment Café for students as part of a professional meeting with employers.
An additional contribution to improving the employability of graduates from our technical programmes is the new Advanced Professional Training Programme – Specialist in Smart Building Installations, which has been offered since the 2022/2023 academic year.
Applicants may enrol in a Higher Vocational Study Programme if they:
have successfully completed the General Matura or the Vocational Matura, or have completed an equivalent qualification under previous educational regulations; or
have passed the Master Craftsman, Foreman, or Business Manager examination, have at least three years of work experience, and have successfully completed the examination in general education subjects required for the Vocational Matura in secondary technical and vocational education.
An additional admission requirement for the Social Network Organiser programme is the successful completion of an Assessment of Special Psychophysical Aptitude.
The Assessment of Special Psychophysical Aptitude consists of:
a test assessing communication and social competences,
a personal interview.
Selection Criteria in the Event of Limited Enrolment
In the event of limited enrolment, the following selection criteria will apply:
1. For applicants who have completed a general secondary school, another secondary technical education programme (including a five-year programme, a continuing secondary education programme, or a vocational-technical education programme), or a Vocational Course, the total score will be based on:
the overall grade achieved in the General Matura, Vocational Matura, or final examination (expressed in points, converted to the grading scale from 2 to 5, and multiplied by a factor of 2), and
the overall grades achieved in the third and fourth year, or the final two years, of secondary education.
2. For applicants who have passed the Master Craftsman, Foreman, or Business Manager examination, the total score will be based on:
the overall grade achieved in the Master Craftsman, Foreman, or Business Manager examination (expressed in points, converted to the grading scale from 2 to 5, and multiplied by a factor of 2), and
the grades achieved in the examinations in Slovene Language and Literature and Mathematics or a Foreign Language.
The School Centre Kranj is the largest vocational and technical education centre in the Gorenjska Region and the fourth largest school centre in Slovenia in terms of the number of students.
The history of the institution shows that, since its establishment in 1946, the school has maintained close cooperation with the local economy. Until 1951, classes were held within a mechanical engineering factory, when the first industrial school building was constructed. As the demand for qualified professionals increased each year, the institution expanded its educational activities to include employed adults alongside regular students. In 1981, the introduction of the directed education system marked an important milestone in the school’s development.
A major step forward came with the move to new premises in 1985, allowing the school to develop into a modern educational centre equipped with advanced teaching facilities. In 1991, the school became a public institution under the name Secondary School of Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Kranj, consisting of two organisational units: the Vocational and Technical School and the Technical Grammar School.
In the years that followed, the institution continued to develop, and in 2005 it became the Technical School Centre Kranj, comprising three organisational units: the Vocational and Technical School, the Technical Grammar School, and the Higher Vocational College. In August 2008, following a decision of the Ministry of Education and Sport, a new organisational unit, the Inter-Company Training Centre, was established.
On 1 January 2013, the Technical School Centre Kranj and the Economic and Service Education Centre Kranj (excluding the Grammar School organisational unit) merged to form the School Centre Kranj, which today consists of:
Secondary School of Economics, Services and Civil Engineering,
Practical Training (PT) is an important component of the Higher Vocational Study Programmes and forms an integral part of the learning process. Through the Practical Training Programme, the Higher Vocational College aims to:
enhance the quality of Higher Vocational Education;
enable students to gain practical experience and become familiar with good professional practice in their field of study while still studying;
strengthen cooperation between the Higher Vocational College and the wider social and business environment (companies and organisations in Slovenia and abroad).
Practical Training is carried out under the guidance of company mentors, mentors at the Higher Vocational College, and the Practical Training Coordinator.
Students are required to complete 800 hours of Practical Training (400 hours in the first year and 400 hours in the second year, or 10 weeks in each academic year). Successful completion of Practical Training is a requirement for repeating an academic year, progressing from the first to the second year, and registering for the diploma examination. The organisation of Practical Training for part-time students is the same as for full-time students. It is compulsory for all part-time students who have not been employed for at least three years, as well as for those who have been employed for more than three years but not in a position relevant to their field of study.
Students complete Practical Training in a company whose activities correspond to the content of their study programme. As a rule, students find a suitable company themselves. If they are unable to do so, the Practical Training Coordinator assists them in securing an appropriate placement. Students may also complete Practical Training abroad through the Erasmus+ mobility programme.
The implementation of Practical Training follows the Operational Practical Training Programme prepared by the Higher Vocational College for each study programme, together with the Implementation Plan prepared by the company mentor. With the support of their mentor, students develop the professional competences required for their future careers.
STUDY PROGRAMMES
PROGRAMMES leading to a Higher Vocational qualification:
Mechatronics Engineer
Informatics Engineer
Electrical Power Engineering Engineer
Economist
Social Network Organiser
Security Engineer
The programmes are module-based and carry 120 ECTS credits in accordance with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). They offer students flexibility through elective modules, common modules shared with other Higher Vocational programmes, interdisciplinary learning, and horizontal progression. The programmes combine theoretical and practical education and are adapted to the needs of the local economy through an open curriculum. They are delivered through close cooperation between educational institutions, companies, and students.
We aim to provide students with an accessible, flexible, and supportive learning environment while helping them achieve their educational and professional goals. In these efforts, we are supported by numerous partners, including the Regional Development Agency of Gorenjska, the Regional Advisory Council, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia, and more than eighty companies and crafts businesses from the region. Within the framework of the European Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013, we began actively participating in the international environment. In the 2006/2007 academic year, the College was awarded the Erasmus University Charter, enabling our students and lecturers to participate in international study and professional exchanges, as well as Practical Training abroad.
Through this approach and way of working, the College aims to become a recognised and important member of the network of Higher Vocational Colleges. It contributes to the development and retention of intellectual potential in the Gorenjska Region, thereby supporting its demographic and economic development.