During the nationwide entrepreneurship week, vocational education students are exploring how fur coats are made and get to try their hand at several tasks.
Today, about ten fur farming students from Järvamaa Vocational Education Centre traveled to Tallinn to visit the coat and glove manufacturing company Linda (Ltd. Lindante). Previously, the company’s head, Tarmo Kattago, had visited the vocational center to give lectures; this time, a practical training day is taking place at his company. “Together with the designer, we show how coats and other accessories are made in the company. We introduce the tools used for this and explain how design ideas are conceived and how the selection of colors and leathers is made,” he explained.
In addition to seeing the entrepreneur’s work, the mainly adult student group gets to try several tasks themselves. Since Järvamaa Vocational Education Centre planned the fur farming training day during the nationwide entrepreneurship week, it was decided to inform the organizers of the entrepreneurship week. “We are also members of the Estonian Fur Association, and it was thought that the training day fits nicely into the entrepreneurship week. This time, I will also talk about the story of becoming an entrepreneur and share the experiences gained over my 23 years of being an entrepreneur,” Kattago explained. During the entrepreneurship week starting on Monday, a hundred entrepreneurs and executives will visit schools across Estonia as part of the “Entrepreneurship into Schools” initiative, sharing their stories with students and encouraging them to consider the option of becoming employers themselves.
This initiative is taking place for the second year, and schools have shown great interest in guest lecturers from among entrepreneurs. According to Toomas Tamsar, head of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, Estonia needs entrepreneurial people, and the best way to instill such an attitude in the youth is by sharing personal stories, not shying away from admitting difficulties and mistakes. “The personal practical experience of experienced entrepreneurs from different situations and fields of activity is very valuable. Sharing this with a wide range of young people hopefully inspires both students and the entrepreneurs themselves. And although not everyone will become entrepreneurs – and they don’t have to – an entrepreneurial attitude is beneficial throughout life,” said Tamsar. “Entrepreneurship into Schools” is a collaboration between the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, the Service Economy Chamber, the Estonian Business Development Foundation, the Future School Foundation, Startup Estonia, and KredEx.