LMS plays pioneering role in reassessment of technical education
Leuven, Belgium - LMS International, the engineering innovation company, has become involved as a leading partner company in ‘Accent on talent’, a project from the King Baudouin Foundation. The objective of ‘Accent on talent’ is to create an innovative total concept for education and development in Flanders, which includes improving the integration of the educational system and professional life. With this in mind, key members of the socio-economic sector and the educational system have developed an integrated vision for the reassessment of technical and technological professions and education.
‘Accent on talent’ has identified a number of shortcomings in the Flemish educational and development system, and it will endeavor to resolve these with progressive solutions. The numerous unqualified school-leavers, the under valuation of engineering and technology, and the shortage of technically and technologically educated people are central subjects. ‘Accent on talent’ is not calling for major educational reforms, but for a project-driven, bottom-up approach, in which schools and business take the lead. Several schools and businesses have undertaken to test out the suggestions of the ‘Accent on talent’ committee in practice. LMS has thus concluded a cooperation agreement with the Sint-Lambertus Institute in Heist-op-den-Berg, K.A. Redingenhof and Group T in Leuven. This is in addition to the existing partnerships with various faculties of the Catholic University of Leuven, and with foreign universities and colleges.
LMS will offer students from those educational institutions the opportunity to acquire work experience by means of traineeships and learning projects. To make technical subjects such as car mechanics and electro-mechanics more attractive, LMS will assist in the development of the curriculum and will provide a wide range of teaching resources, such as car bodies and parts, software and measurement equipment. LMS will also support the schools in organizing open days and information sessions, so that more students gain an interest in technical studies.
LMS will also broaden its own HR policy as part of the ‘Accent on talent’ project. LMS wants to accentuate the development opportunities open to technical colleagues through specific actions so as to make a technical career at LMS more attractive.
Urbain Vandeurzen, CEO and chairman of LMS and chairman of the ‘Accent on talent’ committee comments: “As a businessman I am convinced of the importance of high-quality education, especially where technical education and careers are concerned. Through its involvement with ‘Accent on talent’, LMS wants to take the lead in reassessing technical education and making it reflect business realities more closely. We want to offer each pupil’s talents, whether they are manual, intellectual or both, every possible chance. As a high-tech business which values its employees’ talents, creativity and entrepreneurship, LMS is making a modest contribution to the achievement of the ambitious objectives of ‘Accent on talent’.”
The ‘pioneer schools and pioneer businesses’ project is financed by the ESF (European Social Fund), and is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the Ministry for the Flemish Community. The project aims to develop employment opportunities by promoting employability, entrepreneurship, adaptability and equal opportunities, and also by investing in human resources.
LMS Press Contacts:
Europe:
Bruno Massa
LMS International
Tel +32 16 384 200
bruno.massa@lms.be
United States:
Kimberly Winkler
LMS North America
Tel +1 248 952 5664
kimberly.winkler@lmsna.com
Germany:
Kerstin Schwenk
LMS Deutschland
Tel +49 7152 97 97 90
kerstin.schwenk@lms-gmbh.de
France:
Myriam Degroux
LMS France
Tel 01 69 35 19 20
myriam.degroux@lmsfrance.fr
Japan:
Maki Hisano
LMS Japan
Tel +81 45 478 4800
maki.hisano@lms-ja.co.jp
China:
Susan Wu
LMS China
Tel +86 10 8497 6463
susan.wu@lmschina.com
Korea:
Eun Young Suk
LMS Korea
Tel +82 2 571 7246
eunyoung.suk@lmsko.co.kr
