How education and work complement each other
Nowadays, more and more baccalaureate students are taking part in dual models where they are able to implement both their work knowledge as well as the one they learn at schools. As this model gains popularity, more schools and companies have become interested in joining such programs.
How was this model invented? How does it help young students to expand their knowledge and skills?
The Beginning
The dual model has its origins in Germany (dual studium), in the XIX century, and was co-created by the Government, private sector entities, and unions. This coordination enabled the development of public education programs with trade-specific training provided by the participating companies.
The Present
These days the number of educational systems as companies that want to know more about this implementation is growing non-stop. It is remarkable to see how countries all around the world implement these ideas and companies acknowledge the advantages of the model. Despite the fact that you may believe that introducing a non-experienced youngster to a company’s behavior might be extremely hard and time-wasting, this is just a prejudice, as most of those companies which decided to give this kind of opportunities have later decided to offer better job opportunities when students come of age.
Even though some countries have implemented political and economic traits to promote this model, many others have not shown an interest or are still unaware of its potential benefits. This is just a pity, considering the number of new hires it can create. Besides this, it is a way of helping those youngsters who will have to battle a reality in which most jobs ads require a minimum experience of years in a certain area.
The implementation of this model in Uruguay
A great example of the model’s implementation in Uruguay is ÁNIMA. ANIMA is a privately managed technological baccalaureate program of public access for economically disadvantaged students. Founded in 2016, it offers programs in Management and Information Technology (TIC) and has helped its students achieve amazing results. They bring the possibility of studying in this model for 6 years and the results of their students are just amazing:
In 2019, a research study directed by Universidad de Montevideo found that ANIMA students have 120% more chances of obtaining their baccalaureate. Additionally, 70% of the students continue university studies, and 80% find themselves working in a program-related field.
My own experience
Recently, I received my baccalaureate degree in IT studies at Ánima and won a scholarship to study Informatics Engineering at Universidad Católica del Uruguay. As you may have noticed, I cannot tell you anything but good things about the implementation of this model in youngsters. I spent almost two years learning the way different companies in my country work, and what they look for in an employee. As well as gaining sufficient experience which has resulted in earning long-term employment.
If I had to talk about the advantages of implementing this model versus the traditional education one, I would have a lot to say. Firstly, students of the dual model have the opportunity to start working at a young age and gain experience in the job market. This is just amazing if we take into consideration that most youngsters do not have such job opportunities. Secondly, being in contact with the job area you think is the one you like makes it easier for you to change your career if you discover that what you are studying is not meant for you. Finally, I believe that one of the most important things you can get with your first job experience is contacts. It is a fact that we live in a world where if you are not someone’s known, it will be harder for you.
LoopStudio’s role in my development
LoopStudio is my second work experience, and it is definitely a place where I want to continue developing my skills. I was an intern for almost 7 months, and I am very thrilled with everything I have learned in this period. Although I have studied many IT-related subjects at school, I must tell you that there is nothing like putting into practice all those things that are supposed to prepare you for your area.
As a guy who is lately starting university, I can tell you that one of a youngster’s fears is making mistakes or even being a bother for the team you will be assigned. Despite this, the accompaniment I have in this company continues making me sure that those are nothing else but self-distrusts.
For example, when I first joined LoopStudio, I had no knowledge about Ruby on Rails. They created an onboarding plan to help me learn the language’s foundations, as well as to put these into practice. Besides this, they have not only prepared me with programming languages concepts. I learned to use management tools that helped me track my progress and share my work. On top of that, I improved critical soft skills for my everyday work.
I have many goals to conclude this 2022, and I believe there is nothing that can stop me from achieving them. Firstly, I will start my Informatics Engineering studies in a couple of weeks, and I am very excited about it. I think this is one of the biggest steps in my IT career, and this just makes me feel thrilled and nervous. Secondly, I started to participate in projects for clients, and one of my goals for 2022 is to continue gaining experience at big steps. Finally, I am participating in an intern project with the main purpose of helping street pets. I guess this is a great challenge for me and a great opportunity for learning new things and helping those who need more help.
