Pupil back-testing yields promising results
Fifty-one primary schools and eleven secondary schools were visited by the Building Literacy Programme between the end of September and mid-December. In total, approximately 2,400 pupils and students attended the programme. At the second level of primary school, pupils had the opportunity to take part in the Man and the City workshop (grades 5-7 in primary school) or attend a lecture on How the World is Changing (grades 8-9). For high school students, the lecture is supplemented with more construction topics, focuses on details and lasts ninety minutes. The organizer of the project, Tadeáš Salaba, already has three literacy projects under his belt: Energy Literacy, Technological Literacy and Climate Literacy. The aim of these projects is to promote interest in technical fields among young people. The lecturers of the educational programme are students of universities of civil engineering and architecture.
The main guarantors of the Construction Literacy are Faculty of Civil Engineering of CTU in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering of Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering of Technical University of Ostrava, Faculty of Art and Architecture of Technical University of Liberec and Faculty of Applied Sciences of University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The programme was sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and the National Technical Museum.
According to the feedback we have received so far from 458 respondents, 64 percent of students said they gained new information from the lectures and workshops. 82 percent of students perceived the information as practically applicable. 66.8 percent of students said the lecture changed their perspective on the construction industry.
Pupils and students especially appreciated the dynamic presentations of lecturers and students of building construction disciplines who shared their own experiences and stories from practice. In total, forty-two of them have been involved in the project. Twenty-one of them are already giving presentations alone or in tandem with a more experienced lecturer.
"Our lecturers are able to draw students into the story of construction, showing them its beauty and contribution to society. The lecturers are a few years older than the students themselves, which adds a completely different dimension to the field and brings inspiration to aspiring construction majors," says Tadeáš Salaba, the project organiser.
A unique, free education format for schools
The presentation is intended for pupils of 8th-9th grades of primary school and students of grammar schools. The lecture and the workshop follow the basic values of the field, which are represented by the organizing team of experts. Represented here were teaching staff of universities and high schools with a focus on construction, civil engineers and architects with experience and experts in youth education.
The programme is based on the premise that decision-making about future studies is crucial and therefore targets primary and secondary school pupils. The programme is free of charge, making it accessible even to schools with limited resources.
StaGram+: activities that go beyond presentations
Materials for career counsellors
The programme also focuses on people who have a key influence on the career paths of pupils and students. Because only an informed advisor can show them why construction makes sense. The material is aimed at both teachers and parents and addresses the simple question of "which way and where". Info booklets will be available at schools, and at accompanying events. In 2024, we have already held a Pupil Day at MIT, a Road Fest in Havlíčkův Brod and Architecture Days in Uherské Hradiště.
StaGram screening room
A series of short videos is in the pipeline, which will give a closer look at the professions in the construction industry. It will focus on modern building methods and showcase large-scale construction projects across the country.
Educational project connects schools with practice
The project has attracted the attention of schools lacking practical information and trends in technical fields, including building construction.
"It is important to reach out to younger pupils and show them that the field of building construction can be creative and use modern technologies, including a new view of the world," said Radoslav Sovják, Director of NCS 4.0, summarising the motivation for creating an educational project for schools.
Building Construction Literacy is not only about education, but also focuses on the relationship with the industry, which has a future. It wants to show young people what can be built!
---
Project partners
The project in 2024 was supported by the golden partner OHLA ŽS, a.s., the silver partners Wienerberger CZ, HOCHTIEF CZ, STRABAG Česko, SWIETELSKY in the Czech Republic and Metrostav a.s. and the bronze partners SUDOP GROUP and Valbek Group.
The project is supported by the Association for Road Construction, Škola Projektování, Pipasík Publishing House, Rethink Architecture, NF IOCB TEC-H, National Technical Museum
Quotation of the golden partner OHLA ŽS, a.s.
"Supporting the younger generations and cooperation with all types of schools is absolutely crucial for the future development of the building construction industry. For a long time now, we at OHLA ŽS have been striving to improve the perception of the entire industry, to make this sector, which is one of the main pillars of the Czech economy, more attractive. We took up the offer to become a gold partner with the hope of change and progress in this respect and also with great expectations. StaGram is a joint project of companies, the National Centre for Construction 4.0 and other entities with the support of selected ministries, which will introduce construction to pupils and students across the Czech Republic in all its glory as a field that is changing the world around us. In this preparatory phase, I would like to wish StaGram and all those behind it that we will indeed succeed in demolishing all the negative myths that accompany the construction industry. That we succeed in showing the huge potential, the many job and business opportunities that this industry offers."
Ing. Roman Kocúrek, CEO of OHLA ŽS, a.s.
Quotation of the silver partner STRABAG, a.s.
"The building construction industry is like a mosaic made up of many different professions. Each of the pieces of this mosaic is important for the construction as a whole to come into being. As a partner of the National Centre for Construction 4.0, we are proud to support a programme that opens the eyes of the younger generation and shows them how many talents and skills can find a place in our industry. StaGram allows children to peek behind the curtain and discover the modern face of construction - an industry that is not only constantly evolving through innovation and new technologies, but also contributing to making the world a better place. It is this knowledge that we believe can inspire young people to become part of this fascinating and meaningful mosaic."
Moritz Freyborn, Chairman of the Board of STRABAG a.s.
Quotation of the silver partner Hochtief, a.s.
"At a time when construction companies are looking for ways to spark interest in the buidling construction industry among school and high school students, StaGram is a key platform for us. It actively targets a generation that is deciding what path to take to further their education. Thanks to StaGram, we have the opportunity to break the stereotypes that discourage many from pursuing a career in building construction. StaGram is helping to add to the attractiveness of the whole industry and portray it as a very promising one for future employment."
Mgr. Kateřina Kopecká, Head of Human Resources at Hochtief a.s.
Quotation of the silver partner Metrostav, a.s.
"After several years of discussions on how to show the magic of building construction to children, there is finally a project that can do it. Building Literacy speaks to children and teenagers in a language they understand and goes to the heart of our industry. It opens them up to a world where contemporary people create buildings that will serve them and their children. It makes me happy to see how Building Literacy has the ability to draw interest to other activities. This is a natural quality of projects that make sense. As a result, we're starting a partnership with the National Technical Museum, developing materials for career counselors, and connecting people who care about construction as much as we do."
Mgr. Jana Kořínková MBA, Deputy HR Director, Metrostav a.s.
Quotation of the silver partner Wienerberger s.r.o.
"Our long-term goal at Wienerberger is to support schools and the new generation, to whom we try to introduce building construction in a fun way. That's why we didn't hesitate when we were approached by the organisers of StaGram and became a silver partner for the first ever edition of this project. StaGram presentations at schools will include innovations in construction and the introduction of the WLTR masonry robot. The number of craftsmen in the industry is constantly decreasing, for this reason we take our collaborations in schools responsibly and are happy for every enthusiast. The best ones can join us after a few years or participate in the realization of houses made of proper materials."
Ing. Michal Šenkýř, Product Specialist Building Design, Wienerberger s.r.o.
Quotation of the SWIETELSKY stavební s.r.o.
"SWIETELSKY's participation in StaGram was an obvious choice. We have been trying to improve the awareness of the construction industry for a long time. We support many projects, either for the wider public or at universities where our experienced experts give lectures. Communication with students is key for us - it allows us to get to know students better and reach them individually. Thanks to our experience, we know that we need to target younger students and show them that buidling construction is a modern field full of technology and a new way of looking at the world. By participating in StaGram, we bring important information about the industry directly to primary and secondary schools. The building construction industry is facing many challenges, so it is crucial for us to show pupils and students that they have the opportunity to be part of a sector that is not only building, but also finding ways to change the world in a sustainable and responsible way."
Martina Netřebová, Head of Marketing and PR, SWIETELSKY stavební s.r.o.
Quotation of the bronze partner VALBEK-EU a.s.
"Cooperation with students and the management of secondary and higher education institutions is always a mutual benefit. Encouraging young people to take an interest in the field is not only our priority but, thanks to StaGram, a joint project that opens another gateway to the construction industry. Valbek allows students to supplement their theoretical knowledge with practical knowledge and provides an opportunity to get acquainted with a real working environment. Exposing them to the latest technologies is also a valuable benefit. We are happy to show young people that the construction industry has its own perspective and beauty."