It is a fact that the interest for enrolment in technical programmes has been decreasing constantly for years now. Our wish to stop this trend or at least slow it down, has brought us to the decision to participate in the project Promoting vocational training through vocational education in primary schools in the academic year 2002/2003. For this purpose, we have signed a business agreement with the Municipality of Velenje, IZIDA institution from Ljubljana, ŠCV – vocational and technical electric and computer science school, Gorenje company, Velenje coal mine, thermoelectric power station in Šoštanj, primary school Pintar Toled, primary school Livada, Mozirje municipality, primary school Mozirje, primary school Rečica ob Savinji and company BSH Hišni aparati from Nazarje.

We have participated in the project for various reasons, but above all to allow the individuals to early see the possibilities, encourage them in activities, find their interests in certain occupations, enable them to directly experience the work in the chosen field (learning by doing), decrease drop-out rates in secondary school because of wrong decisions, offer good information on possibilities of education after the primary school in the field of electrical and mechanical engineering: where to continue education and for which professions, where to obtain scholarship, where they can find employment, what they can do, what the working requirements are, etc.

With the help of relevant working methods we have tried to develop interest in technical fields in students and also other professional fields, especially electrical technology, machine science and mining. For the students of sixth, seventh and eighth years we have prepared motivational presentations, workshops for developing interests, meeting with their parents, and also participated in the final evaluation results presentation.

At the final presentation at the Gorenje company the mentors and students presented the work of the whole group in all eight workshops of the ŠCV project – in the professional and technical school for electrical engineering and IT, in the Velenje coal mine, thermoelectric power station in Šoštanj and Gorenje company. The mentors have presented the course of work in the workshops and their experiences, while the students have explained what they liked, what has appealed to them most and also what they would never like to do in their life. Also the parents have added their observations and complimented this sort of activity for early learning about professions. At the final presentation, the students were also given the products they have made during the workshops and were allowed to take them home.

At the primary school Miha Pintar Toled, there were no candidates for enrolment in the programmes at vocational and technical electric and computer science school, before the motivational presentation. After these workshops were provided, 10 students have enrolled in this school. In this year they are all visiting the third year of school.