Good practice examples from Czech Republic
He became a welder after a long journey of finding himself. One of the first participant was Michal. Very intelligent, 26 years old man, who didn´t finish any vocational Training and wasn´t qualified, therefore he was unemployed and in Labour office register for almost 10 years. He showed the interest in becoming an electrician or a copier mechanic. We couldn´t find a trainer nor the firm, so he decided for electrician in OUaPŠ Kladno-Vrapice. After approximately 2 months of the Training, he wrote a letter to Second Chance School: „Dear Second Chance School, I need to do something about myself. I have a lot of things going on my mind. And more I do about it, the more I expect from it. I don´t set meaningless goals and I know if you want something, you won´t get it in a day, you need to have life goals to motivate yourself. I was not satisfied with my old lifestyle and its structure. Therefore I draw a thick line that represents a new begining of my life. For that I need a good job. To get a good job, you need to do something well. To be honest, I´ve been trying to improve myself and the world for a long time. Second Chance School came on the right time with the helping hand and I´m glad I high-fived it. Thanks to this opportunity and school Vrapice, as a 26 years old I am able to learn in equipped workshop with help of a professional foreman in electrician field. I appreciate your company for seizing this project and naming it Second Chance School. For someone neglecting a lot in his life, it is literally life credo crossing the borders of transcendent. Thank you for your work and for everything you try to do for the young. I believe I will seize the opportunity and Second Chance School will be proud of me and of itself, because it is one of the catalysts of a chance in front of me. Thank you and your entire Second Chance School team and wish you all the best. Michal.“
He was interested in the field, took 3 months Training at school and asked for welding course grant, tht was fully paid, but after a couple of days he stopped attending and announced voulentary onset to the hospital for long-term treatment. At that moment we worried he won´t fulfill his promise. Unexpected happend – Michal came back from recovery after 6 months, attended and successfully compleated the welding course. He was already 27 years old and he held not only Second Chance School Certificate, but thanks to this project he became a real professional – welder and got a job immediately. Michal managed to leave his past behind and really change his life. I wasn´t easy, but he made it. A big part on his success is thanks to Second Chance School, but it also takes a strong will of a participant, which Michal has.
With Second Chance School support, student Daniel from Bulgaria, attended a vocational school in Czech Republic to become a carpenter, but he didn´t finish his studies in first year of studies and was in Labour office register for a couple of years. He applied for Second Chance School Program and chose carpenter profession again at Odborné učilište a Praktická škola Kladno – Vrapice. He was assigned to a great trainer for 3 monts, who saw his enthusiasm and effort to handle everything at his best, he suggested to continue studying at the school and get vocational certificate. Daniel accepted the offer and has finished 2 years of studies and has 1 last year to compleate, and then the final exam. Daniel belonged to those program participants who really appreciated the opportunity to attend and to mange the tasks. He remembers the Second Chance School as an unique opportunity to get vocational education and to overcome previous problems connected to previous studies failures.
