2017

Forestry Sector Attracts Great Interest in Education Fair "Skola 2017"

International Education Fair “Skola 2017” (School 2017) that takes place in Ķīpsala International Exposition Centre from 24 to 26 February is a major event in Latvia that offers comprehensive information about different opportunities to study both in Latvia and abroad. The fair gathers about 140 exhibitors representing more than 10 countries. Right in the middle of the hall there is a stand of Latvia University of Agriculture (LUA) Forest Faculty and Ogre Technical School jointly created by JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM) and industry representatives. A harvester simulator was the central element of the stand, which was used to demonstrate education opportunities in the forest sector.

"The forest industry is a cornerstone of the Latvian economy. I would suggest prospective students to look both at large forest industry companies, as well as the small businesses, in particular those related to wood processing, where there is a greater demand for knowledgeable and skilful professionals. The industry is constantly evolving, it needs young and educated workers, so it is definitely worth coming to study with us," says Māris, a lecturer at LUA Forest Faculty and Ogre Technical School.

Māris teaches Ogre Technical School students how to work with forest machines. In his opinion, the work of a harvester operator is not too difficult. The harvester simulator just in the middle of the forest industry stand is very popular among visitors. Here they can try their hand at work with a complex and serious machine, which gives the driver full freedom to operate the harvester by pressing the gas pedal and using the driving controls. Everything is just like in a real forest machine. The controls may be turned into six positions: one for the harvester's cutting head direction and height, the other allows to grab a tree trunk, fell it down and cross-cut it.

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“The simulator is not just a computer game. Here you have to be very, very precise, and it is easy to get lost in all the different buttons. But just keep calm and everything will work just fine! Such a harvester works almost 20 times faster than a chainsaw - that is really impressive," says one of the visitors of the exhibition just getting off the simulator.

"Young people show a great interest in our faculty and study opportunities. For example, just a moment ago a prospective student asked me a number of very specific questions: about tuition fees and budget places, scholarships, dormitories and student life," says Dāvis, a 3rd-year student of LUA Forest Faculty. "I am satisfied with my studies. There is one more school year left, and I don't want to go abroad, I would like to stay here in Latvia and work in the forest sector," says future forester Dāvis.

JSC "Latvia's State Forests" collaborates with LUA and Ogre Technical School providing support in curriculum and academic further education matters. New education and training programmes are developed on a regular basis, LVM experts are involved in the learning process and in the elaboration of the content of the curriculum. In the course of the learning process students are given an opportunity to use IT programmes; besides, every year LVM organises a scholarship competition, open to students of different study programmes.