Right up front I'll tell you that this was NOT a post that was going to happen. I knew Astrid and I would walk over to the technical school here in Gorinchem, where her son went from age 12-16, just to see it after all these years since (Astrid) and for me as a first. It was the annual open-house day for new potential students, so we seized the day.
And along the way I assumed I'd get a couple photos to work on for my Shutterchance photoblog!
What follows will in no way adequately describe the effect of that visit on me and why I HAVE to make this post. I suspect it's the age of these students that affected me the most: 12-16. To see it with my own eyes just blew me away because, let's face it, this does NOT happen in America....
This is Het Gilde school, which we pass every Monday while grocery shopping.
Because I wasn't expecting to do a post, I took no photos of many things, including the outside.
[photo credit: (l) AD.nl; (r) gilde.cvo-av.nl]
All the technical studies take place on the ground floor.
Everything else is classroom space for the approx. 700 students, taking "normal" studies,
like math, civics, geography, English, Dutch and German, etc.
Upon entering the school, we asked if we could take photos. YES, but not of students!
So the following student photos, including this above, are public photos released for publication.
I wanted you to see how it really is like a school, with lockers in the hallways.
[credit: gilde.cvo-av.nl]
[credit: fd.nl]
[credit: Scholenopdekaart]
[credit: Marcel van den Bergh]
When Astrid's son was there years ago (he's 31 now), there was only one girl in the school.
Today there are 25...with increasing effort to enroll more.
Back in Astrid's day, she wanted to learn fine-furniture carpentry
but no girls we allowed unless they were taking over their father's business.
But see what I mean about age?!
Watching the older and younger kids learning side-by-side brought many a tear to my eye.
What follows now are the images I took that day (remember, assuming I was NOT making a post).
Outside of this image was a boy following a schematic of this electrical outlet, to duplicate it.
We spent most of our time in the Electrical room...
...even with robotics.
Do you know how traffic lights work?
And how to keep your wires straight, so to speak!
Another area was Mechanics? We're not sure, but there was also
car mechanics, welding, insulation, carpentry, construction, masonry, metallurgy.
We didn't get to half of it but it was all there.
For a country that has more bikes than people or cars, understanding bike gears is important.
Did I ever tell you that Astrid, who has a "normal" bike, as well as a race bike,
meticulously cleans and greases and takes care of them both herself?!
Impressions.
Each student has his/her own steel-capped shoes and overalls.
And at the end of every project/day, messes have to be cleaned up.
Remember when I said the students also have "normal" studies, similar to students who choose the "gymnasium" track (which is what Europe calls college prep)? In their first 2 years (age 12-14), they're learning civics, math, language (English, Dutch, German and another language like French), physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography, economy, science, social interaction, healthcare, sports, art, gym...and because it's a Christian school, Christianity.
During those first two years, they spend 6 weeks each getting introduced to the different technical studies taught there (as mentioned above). The last two years (age 14-16), they pick one of the techniques for their own specialization.
From there, age 16-20, the students move on to a Middle School where they study their specialty for one day and then work as an apprentice in a company for 4 days each week. They can then go on to University (age 21-24) for Engineering degrees or whatever.
Does this blow your mind like it does mine? It's the part about starting so young. I'm still trying to get my head around it. Seriously.
But I can tell you this, after leaving that day I told Astrid that I want to go there and learn something about every technical area provided. That's how much it all impressed me!
"We dare to state that without technology the world would be a hopeless mess.
We always come up with new techniques to make our lives safer, easier or more fun.
With all these techniques there is also an enormous demand for smart installers,
fitters and other technicians. Can you take the challenge?"
