More than 4,000 people start their studies in agricultural vocational training

(Photo: AM/Csaba Pelsőczy)

István Nagy, at the opening of the Széchenyi István Agricultural and Food Technical School, Vocational Training School and College, where he officially opened the academic year of agricultural vocational training, said that if anyone has a perspective in the future, it is definitely the young people who see their future in agriculture. Almost everything in the sector is constantly changing: new technologies have to be learned, new tools and equipment have to be worked with, but one thing must never be in jeopardy, the production of daily bread – warned the young people. Regarding the restructuring of the vocational training system, he noted: experience shows that the Hungarian vocational training system is well-tested, six out of ten young people choose vocational training, and in 2024, most of them chose technical schools after completing primary school. He added that instead of a fragmented institutional structure, the agricultural vocational training centers established almost five years ago treat their schools as a unified system. “Thanks to its natural features, the role of agriculture in Hungary is invaluable, so is the education of the future agricultural generation,” he emphasized.

István Nagy spoke about the advantages of dual training and stated that as a result of the transformation of vocational training, agricultural higher education is also becoming more and more popular

Agricultural studies can be pursued in eight higher education institutions in Hungary, for which there is unabated interest, he added. “Agriculture is no longer characterized by muddy rubber boots, but by modernization and competitiveness; the most advanced IT tools, robotics and artificial intelligence are part of everyday life in 21st century agriculture,” said the minister. He added: the young people also experience that the invested work pays off, that agriculture provides a secure livelihood, bread both literally and figuratively. Agriculture is a strategic sector, not the past, but the future, therefore it is now more and more prestigious to work in agriculture, to produce high-quality, safe food, using innovative technologies, keeping the principles of sustainability in mind, and to produce value – emphasized István Nagy. In Hajdúböszörmény, at the opening of the national agricultural vocational training school year. Imre Lévai, the director general of the Northern Agricultural Vocational Training Center, indicated that 3,500 people study in the agricultural vocational training institutions belonging to the center, of which 600 students will start their studies this year. In the last four years, two billion forints were spent on improvements in the institutions, 270 million forints were made in the Hajdúböszörmény vocational school, which hosted the opening of the year, he added.

MTI