Soroca college students transform their skills into a thriving business
Students at the Agricultural Technical College in Soroca have a unique opportunity to learn a profession that they can turn into their own business. Within a social enterprise, they create iron objects that they later sell. The young people have realized that they can earn a good income without having to go abroad.
The students are involved in all stages of the business, from purchasing raw materials to identifying potential customers. The first step in their journey was obtaining a grant.
“In this laboratory, we produce grills and other items based on customer requests. If a customer wants a different product, they provide us with a sketch, we give them a price estimate, and then we create it,” one student explained.
“I made this shoe rack based on a customer's order, tailoring it to their preferences. It is unique. I welded it and painted it myself. Once we graduate from college, we will have the skills to manage finances, oversee operations, and handle documentation,” shared another student.
The social enterprise was established as part of a program implemented by the European Union in the Republic of Moldova and in Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia.
“The students are developing their entrepreneurial skills. An expert once said that while production is easy, selling is the challenging part. We recognize some shortcomings, but we’ve identified them and will work to help students overcome these obstacles,” says Victoria Bugai, the coordinator of the student social enterprise.
“We also want to implement a similar project at our institution, as it's beneficial for young people to engage in social entrepreneurship,” adds Cristina Doga, a teacher at the "M. Eminescu" Pedagogical College in Soroca.
“We came here to gain experience so we can eventually implement it in our vocational school,” mentions teacher Tamara Avricenco.
This type of entrepreneurial activity is also organized in five other vocational education institutions in the Republic of Moldova.
