Within the framework of the Erasmus+ program “Professional readiness with 21st century skills in Evening EPAL”, two teachers from our school, Chrysa Kapnia (class PE86 and School Director) and Athina Papadaki (class PE87.03), participated from Monday 2 to Friday 6 March 2026 in a job shadowing activity in the Styria region of Austria and specifically in the city of Eisenerz.
During the week, they visited the BHAK Eisenerz (Bundeshandelsakademie) school unit, which is attended by approximately 120 students from the wider region and which combines a general and vocational education program. It is a vocational high school that offers four study directions, covering a wide range of modern professional fields: from IT and the Internet to event and sports management, as well as technical specialties related to apprenticeships, such as computer application development, carpentry, mechanical design engineer and mechatronics engineer (a combination of mechanical engineering, electronics and IT to create systems that simplify production). This educational model makes studying more personalized, modern, and future-oriented.
The school has implemented and been recognized for several educational initiatives and programs, including European Erasmus+ projects and its participation in the “European Parliament Ambassador Schools” network. It is a young business school with an emphasis on innovative pedagogical approaches and entrepreneurship development. At the same time, it collaborates with the BFI-Steiermark organization, which offers specialized training tailored to labor market needs. In the context of the continuous improvement of its educational work, utilizing the flexibility provided by the Austrian educational system, the school systematically renews its curriculum, introducing new directions and training programs, such as “Operation of virtual businesses” and “Digital solutions and Artificial Intelligence” to meet the modern requirements of education and the economy.
The teachers of our school observed the operation of the school unit and were informed about the structure of the educational system and mainly about vocational education in Austria. The school management also provided them with extensive information on the management of the specific school unit, as well as the general framework for the management of school units in Austria. At the same time, they exchanged views with their Austrian colleagues on the similarities and differences between the two educational systems, while they also discussed the challenges they face in everyday educational practice, which to a large extent prove to be common.
During their visit, they were also hosted at the Nordic Training Centre Eisenerz (NAZ), one of the most important training centres for Nordic sports athletes in Austria since 1982, where the dual education model combining professional studies and high-level sports has been implemented.
The hospitality of the Austrian colleagues was particularly moving, as they took care, in addition to the educational programme, to enrich the teachers’ experience with afternoon activities. During these, they were guided around the wider region, highlighting its cultural wealth, history and local traditions. Through visits to attractions, nature walks and informal meetings, the opportunity was given for a meaningful acquaintance with the lifestyle and daily life of the local community, while strengthening the spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding and European identity, while the overall experience was an important opportunity to exchange knowledge and good practices, contributing to cooperation between teachers and the continuous improvement of the educational process.
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