On September 23, at the Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School, the best future specialists were clarified in the national mastery competition “Agriculture” of young professionals in the agricultural sector. The team of Jēkabpils Agribusiness College Barkava structural unit won the first place and a gold medal in the competition of student teams of agricultural education programs.
The future specialists of the Barkava structural unit of Jēkabpils Agribusiness College and the first-place winners Mārtiņš Šķēls and Arturs Stabulnieks scored 75.85 points out of the maximum achievable 100 points. Second and third place was taken by Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School students Reinis Bērziņš and Kristers Briedis receiving 75.30 points. In the third place with 73.55 points were ranked Raivis Riekstiņš and Mārtiņš Lipskis.
The participants of the competition performed the tasks in teams of two. 12 students from the Saulaine territorial unit of Kandava Agricultural Technical School, Malnava College, Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School and Barkava structural unit of Jēkabpils Agribusiness College competed for the titles of the best future professionals in Agriculture.
Dace Piliksere, researcher of the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics of the Priekuli Research Center and Artūrs Lozbergs, Head of the Technical Support Department, as well as Dace Kalniņa, Head of the Cēsis Office of the Latvian Rural Consultation and Education Center and Rural Development Consultant, developed the tasks of the competition and evaluated the performance of the competition teams.
"The students' experience shows that it was easier to work with machinery, but the most difficult test was agriculture and the environment, as well as weed recognition," reveals Dace Kalniņa, Head of the Cēsis Office of the Latvian Rural Consultation and Education Center and Rural Development Consultant.
Industry experts assessed both the theoretical knowledge and ability of young people to analyze the situation, as well as practical skills in crop mechanization. The participants were able to prove their knowledge of agriculture and the environment, agricultural systems, soil and its tillage, crops, crop change and protection, as well as to demonstrate their skills in working with sprayers and fertilizer spreaders in the practical task of crop mechanization.
Artūrs Lozbergs, Head of the Technical Support Department of the Priekuļi Research Center Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics emphasizes: “After the competition, it can be concluded that the participants should further develop their knowledge of precise technologies. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that young people have performed well enough and it is gratifying that they are showing great interest in learning.”
The competition is organized by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA) in cooperation with the Priekuli Research Center and the Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical Institute and the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics. The competition is supported by the Cēsis Office of the Latvian Rural Consultation and Education Center.
A photo gallery with the competition and the brightest moments is available in our Flickr account.
National competitions are funded by the European Social Fund project “Career Support in General and Vocational Education Institutions” and the State of Latvia. The project is implemented by VIAA until 31 May 2022.