On 20 and 21 August, Colruyt Group, through its technical divisions Technics & Engineering and Real Estate, is organising a technical ‘Summer School’ aimed at secondary school teachers of technical subjects. During this two-day training course, participants will have the opportunity to deepen their technical knowledge, discover new technologies and gain practical experience under the supervision of experienced technicians. Through this initiative, Colruyt Group aims to support teachers of technical subjects in an ever-changing world of education and technology.
Today, technical subjects and technology are evolving faster than ever before. New curricula and changing learning objectives require technical teachers to master an ever-wider range of up-to-date technical skills. At the same time, the persistent shortage of technical teachers means that many of them are teaching subjects that were not originally within their area of expertise. This has led to a growing need for practice-oriented continuing professional development delivered by industry professionals.
With the ‘Technische Summer School’, the Colruyt Group aims to address this challenge. The training takes place at the Group’s Technical College in Halle, where participants can learn and practise in a professional technical environment. The sessions combine theory with practical work and are led by experienced staff from the professional world. In this way, teachers not only gain new knowledge, but also practical insights and experiences that they can immediately put into practice in their lessons.
“ High-quality technical education relies on competent teachers,” explains Frank Pierret, coordinator of the ‘Brug naar Scholen’ programme for Colruyt Group Technics & Engineering and Real Estate. “Through this initiative, we aim to support teachers in technical subjects whilst helping to nurture the next generation of technicians and engineers.”
Colruyt Group draws on the expertise of around 1,700 technical staff across various disciplines, ranging from electromechanics and automation to building management and industrial engineering. Through initiatives such as this ‘Technische Summer School’, the organisation actively shares this knowledge with educational institutions and teachers.
This initiative forms part of a broader ambition to bridge the gap between education and the labour market. Teachers taking part gain new technical skills and also build up a valuable network of colleagues and technical experts. This results in a sustainable exchange of knowledge that can continue to develop even after the training has finished.
Jurgen Neckebroeck, a teacher of electrical engineering at the Middenschool in Aalst and at the Centre for Adult Education (CVO), is already very enthusiastic:“I come here regularly with my pupils to attend training courses. The Colruyt Group has very advanced technology, which allows us to explore many interesting topics. I’ve been taking part in these taster courses for several years now. This year, I’ve chosen Megger. We’re learning how to measure insulation resistance and detect faults. It’s really interesting!”
