In early March 2020, as part of the Pogledaj. Probaj. Doživi.” Program by the Znanje na djelu (Knowledge at Work) Foundation, students of the Medvedgrad Elementary School visited the Central Testing Laboratory, which operates within the company INA d.d. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students were introduced to the company’s laboratory and were able to participate in simple chemical experiments. The workshop for children was designed and held by Jelena Parlov Vuković, PhD, Nada Uzorinac Nasipak, a chemical engineer, and Snježana Prpa-Varović and Natalija Vraneša, chemical technicians.
The “Pogledaj. Probaj. Doživi.” program has been held for the sixth year in a row, but so far it has been intended exclusively for high school students. In 2020, the Znanje na djelu (Knowledge at Work) Foundation launched a pilot project for primary school students because research has shown that students already decide to develop their careers in primary schools.
“The laboratory in our school is not so well equipped and this is an ideal opportunity for students to see a real laboratory, and also to see how chemistry is used in the economy,” said Martina Brkljačić, a teacher from Medvedgrad Elementary School and head of the chemistry group.
Let us remind that the main goal of the “Pogledaj. Probaj. Doživi.” program is to connect education and the economy, and thus introduce students to career development opportunities in Croatia and, in the long run, increase youth employment and prevent them from leaving Croatia.
