At Techcollege there is room for everyone.
When you are a student at Techcollege, there are many paths you can choose to take. However, all programs have one thing in common: young people come together around what they are passionate about. And where there are young people, there is life and social community.
Meet Anna, Marcus, Ziff and Olivier, all students at Techcollege. Hear about life as a student, why they chose their education, what is special about attending Techcollege in particular, and what advice they would give to future students considering an EUD, EUX or HTX education.
An education with meaning
The first step on the road to a life at Techcollege is of course choosing an education that suits you and your interests. Marcus, 18, who currently studies Innovation and Technology at HTX, felt that an education at Techcollege gave him the best opportunities to pursue his interests:
“I find the innovative mindset really exciting, so an education at HTX was a good fit for me. Technology and innovation are two subjects that captivate me, and they weren’t subjects I saw offered at other upper secondary education programs. That’s why I chose HTX.”
Anna, 18 years old, who also studies at HTX on a daily basis – but at Industrial Design – agrees that HTX had a range of education programs that best matched her interests:
“I chose HTX with Industrial Design because I thought it was great that it was targeted teaching and that there was a creative approach and mindset to the study. Here you really get to think outside the box while working in groups.”
It is not only at HTX that you can find an education where group work and opportunities beyond the classic academic education are found. Ziff, 20, is about to take a vocational training course as a painter at Techcollege, and here she found a place where she could transform her personal interest into a career:
“We have had various renovation projects at home, where I have been involved in the process. In addition, I have also been involved in painting for family and friends, which I have always found interesting and generally I like it. So the painting education was an opportunity to follow that interest.”
The same was true for Olivier, 17, who is about to take an EUX as a passenger car mechanic at Techcollege. Before he started his education, he had also had the craft in his hands and felt that it inspired a professional interest in him:
“I have always had an interest in cars and being a car mechanic. For a period of time, a lot of repairs were needed on our own car, and I watched from the sidelines and got my hands on the craft myself. In that connection, I found out that it was a profession I was passionate about, and that is why I am now training to be a car mechanic.”
Together for a common third
A shared love for the profession has also been the starting point for a larger, social community. As Marcus says, everyone has chosen to be here and made a conscious choice based on personal interests and professional curiosity, and this can be felt in the community.
“Unless you have taken 10th grade, this is the first time that you have made a choice about what your education should look like and what it should entail. So everyone in your class has chosen that this is where they want to be. It is an advantage and something you have in common, because you have all actively chosen it.”
The fact that you come together around a strong, common third can also be felt in the social community. It brings life to the classroom, and it makes it easier to get to know each other both socially and professionally. In the painting program, Ziff can feel that it doesn't matter if you are different – there is still a good sense of unity and a great interest in getting to know each other.
“We have a really good unity and community. In our class, we are many different types, but we get along really well together anyway. We are all aware that we have chosen to be here, and therefore we try to take an interest in each other and help each other. For example, if we are in a workshop, we spar with each other and help each other with different tasks and projects. When we have theory, we discuss and summarize for each other, talk about what we have gotten out of it and how it relates to our subject. It is really good.”
Professionalism and practice go hand in hand
Whether you go to EUD, EUX or HTX, there is one thing in common - there is a close relationship between theory and practice. And this helps to strengthen the social community. At HTX, they work a lot in groups and have joint projects. Both Anna and Marcus agree that this approach gives a sense of shared responsibility and group spirit. Marcus believes that group work in particular gives an opportunity to spar with others.
“We have a lot of group work where you can spar with the others in the team. That way you don't end up sitting in your own little bubble and only focusing on what's right in front of you. The interaction with the others gives you new perspectives, because you can spar with other people about the thoughts you get in class. It also strengthens the social aspect, because you are together as a class and can be social around the class.”
Anna agrees. For her, everyday life as a student at Techcollege means having good friends who make it fun to meet at school on Monday morning. Group work and the project-oriented approach to teaching are a definite plus, and it gives people the opportunity to come together around a common goal.
“It's something many people are passionate about, you can really feel that.”
The car mechanic program also shows that there is a shared interest. They hold open workshops every now and then after school, where you can bring your own car and work on it. This way, the interest in cars becomes the common focus both during school hours and in your free time.
The workshop hours bring a whole new energy to the unity in the classes, and it is a great way to create good interaction in the teaching. Ziff is convinced that the workshop hours make a difference to her mood and schoolwork.
“The workshop puts you in a good mood, it adds something completely different to the lessons and time at school.”
Close collaboration between students and teacher
It is not only the students who share a strong bond. The relationship between students and teachers is also something special. At Techcollege, the teachers are passionate about their subjects, and the students can feel that love in the lessons. Olivier believes that the sincere interest from the teachers helps create success for the students.
“If you show the teachers that you really want the subject, they won't give up on you. They help you succeed in your subject, whether it's theoretical or practical. They're on our team. It also requires that you invest in the school and the teaching. The teachers give a little extra if you give a little extra yourself.”
Ziff agrees. She finds that at Techcollege there is freedom with responsibility, and that the teachers truly believe in one's potential.
“The teachers are nice, you can feel that they are cheering you on and saying, 'you can do it. You know you can. We will help you through it'.”
For the students, there is no doubt that being a student at Techcollege is one of the best things about it. You are greeted by adults who cheer you on and help you all the way to the finish line. Olivier is also in no doubt when he thinks about the role the teachers play in his success at Techcollege.
“They think of you as the future of this country.”
A social community that extends beyond education
It is not only in an academic context that the school is strong. In the passenger car mechanic program, they also spend time together after school, and among other things, the students have arranged a trip to watch hockey together, which was a great success.
At HTX, Marcus' class tries to participate in most Friday cafes, as it strengthens class unity and a sense of belonging to the school.
“In my class, we have agreed that we all try to participate in Friday café as much as we possibly can. This is where we can sit down after school and have fun together. It is something that we as a class have chosen that we really want to participate in and support.”
Anna also says that the school holds a sports day, which she thinks is a good opportunity to do something social together that is not about school.
“There is a sports day at HTX where everyone participates. It's really good to shake everyone up, and it's also fun because it's something different from normal teaching. You dress up and are together as a class in a different way. It's a joint choice you make together as a class, and it does something really good for the social community.”
Don't be afraid to say the first word.
Starting a new degree program can be daunting. Maybe you don't know any of the people you're starting with, and maybe it's a completely new place you've never been before. Fortunately, everyone is new, and the students from Techcollege have no doubt that you'll get far with a smile. As Ziff says, someone has to be the one to break the ice.
“Don't be afraid to be the one to say the first words. When I started at Techcollege, I remember the first day, where 4-5 of us were standing in the hallway waiting for it all to start. It was completely quiet. So I ended up asking them where they were from, how old they were, etc. We were all new. So just ask. If you greet them with a smile, you'll get a smile back.”
It's an approach that Anna agrees works.
“It's important to be open, even if it's someone who doesn't necessarily look like you. You can have a lot in common. You're in the same program and affiliated with the same place. We're all young people taking an education. You might as well try to make the most of it.”
There is no doubt that life at Techcollege is something very special. A shared interest in professional pride is the foundation for a community that extends far beyond classrooms and school hours.