During the Easter week, Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School (VTDT) students’ training companies and future chefs invited students and technical school employees to the Easter market.
Ten students of the technical school offered self-made jewelry, candles, bubble bath bombs, wooden products, as well as delicacies prepared by future chefs – nuts, cupcakes and other treats.
The director of the technical school, Artūrs Snegovičs, said that such an event is possible again after several years, the pandemic with remote learning did not allow for the operation of either student training companies or holding fairs: “In the learning process, there is a module “Initiative and entrepreneurship”, where teachers work with young people to form a student training companies. In the module, all stages are learned, starting with business plans, starting a company, everything else, so that the young person can get the first experience. At such fairs, young people learn sales, communication skills, and much more!”
There are several training companies operating in Techniki, this is an opportunity to show yourself, improve your sales skills and let others see what these young people do in their spare time.
Sabine and Maggie are learning the profession of a cook, but in their free time they make jewelry, they offered earrings at the market. They have been passionate about making ornaments before, but last fall they created the school company “MS Rotas” for students. The young women admit that the step was right: “The experience so far has been positive. The demand is enough for a start. We are glad that people appreciate handiwork. Participating in fairs makes you think about packaging, we look at what is better, what fits, what – maybe not! There is always a learning process, every day brings a new experience.”
At the beginning of the year, the educational company “ZAUM” was established by Madara and Melanija, offering self-made candles and bath bombs. On the indication that this part of the market is full, it is difficult to find one’s niche in it, the young women say: “Everything comes with time, maybe it doesn’t happen immediately, but our goal is to create an offer in which each buyer finds exactly what suits him. It is important not to be afraid to do, to experiment.”
Guido and Jānis from the student training company “Epoxy DJ” participated in the market with special kitchen boards, which not only use wood, but also incorporate epoxy resin, thus creating an unusual appearance. Young people say that the company is brand new, experience is just beginning to accumulate. Having noticed on the Internet that epoxy resin is used in wooden products, they decided to give it a try. Their products are also made in the evenings after school, and the guys say that it takes a week to make one board, because it takes a long time for the resin to harden.
The largest gathering of buyers was at the stand of future chefs, where the guys were selling delicacies. Among the buyers are also teachers to buy a treat with their lunchtime coffee. One of the sellers, 3rd year student Jānis, said that everything was baked the day before, but he emphasized that it is important not only to bake, but also to learn how to sell what you have prepared yourself, skills are also needed there: “Actually, the sales process is very exciting, especially because , that the demand is high, people appreciate that everything is fresh, prepared by themselves.”
When asked if he plans to continue working in the profession he has learned after graduating from the technical school, the young man admitted that there is still time to make a choice, but in any case, useful skills will have been learned.
