Collaboration with employers in the development of the qualification "Specialist for Smart Buildings"

Involving employers in the development of qualifications contributes to ensuring that its content is based on the actual needs of the labor market and technological changes in the field of smart buildings. With this goal, within the Erasmus+ project JIBE, a focus group with employers and teachers from the school was held at the Technical School in Vlasotince on October 29, 2026. The collected data will be used in the further work of national and international project partners on the development of the profile for the joint qualification "Specialist for Smart Buildings".

The focus group included representatives from employers GRUNER, WSS ELRAD, ELRAD SRBIJA, IGM MLADOST LESKOVAC, IGM MLADOST VLASOTINCE, DDM METALING, AB KOP, HSV, VESIGENT, JKP VODOVOD VLASOTINCE, and METALAC NOLE, as well as teachers from the Technical School in Vlasotince.

After familiarizing themselves with the methodology for developing qualification standards, the work focused on mapping duties and tasks within the job description for this qualification at level 5 of the NQF. The exchange of experiences from the economy and teaching practice allowed for an understanding of the job requirements in this field and serves as a basis for further defining the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies.

Representatives of the Agency for Qualifications also presented the concept of quality assurance in adult education, with a particular focus on publicly recognized adult education organizers (JPOA), where educational programs for obtaining qualifications at level 5 of the NQF are implemented. This segment is significant for assessing the possibilities for the future implementation of programs for the new qualification and ensuring the quality of its execution.

The JIBE project brings together partners from Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Serbia, Austria, and Slovakia, with the aim of developing and testing a joint qualification in the field of smart buildings at level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework, as well as approaches to learning, recognition of learning outcomes, and mobility. The Agency for Qualifications, as one of the partners, contributes to the development of the qualification, quality assurance, and strengthening the connection between vocational education and the needs of the labor market.

The focus group was preceded by a national working meeting held on October 28 at the Technical School in Vlasotince. Representatives of the Agency for Qualifications and the school discussed roles and cooperation in the implementation of project activities, the preparation of the focus group, and the next steps in the development of the joint qualification.