Debrecen4U
February 3, 2026
Final-Year Students Gain Insight into University and Industry Pathways
For an entire week, experience-based programs help graduating students in vocational education get to know their further study and labor market opportunities. The Debrecen Vocational Training Center launched its Career Week program series in all of its institutions in 2023; as part of this initiative, students of the Beregszászi Pál Technikum visited the Vehicle Laboratory of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Debrecen on this occasion.
The vehicle mechatronics technician students of the Beregszászi Pál Technikum arrived on familiar ground, as the institution’s automotive training has been carried out in close cooperation with the University of Debrecen for years. Several of the students plan to continue their studies in engineering programs, while others would enter the labor market without a higher education degree; however, they all agreed that dual training provided them with a solid foundation. “The practical experience gained during dual training provides knowledge that is useful even if someone continues their studies at a university, as we can also apply this practical experience there,” said Zsolt Fábián, a student of the Beregszászi Pál Technikum.
Nearly 1,200 students study at the institution in full-time and evening programs, of whom around 250 will graduate in the current academic year. Automotive training has played a defining role at the school for six years, with its development being implemented jointly with the University of Debrecen. “There is continuous demand from automotive and technology companies for well-trained professionals, so it is particularly important for us that our students gain a realistic picture of further study opportunities and the practical side of the engineering profession already during their technical school years,” emphasized Norbert Szentesi, deputy director of the DSZC Beregszászi Pál Technikum and Dormitory.
In recent years, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Debrecen has undergone significant development: last year, a new building wing was inaugurated, where laboratories operating in cooperation with companies and externally located departments were established. The Vehicle Laboratory was created in connection with the educational and innovation developments of Debrecen’s automotive industry hub. “Industrial development in Debrecen has created a new situation for technical education, as both technician and engineering training now take place in a modern industrial environment, making it possible to keep pace with technological progress,” said Imre Kocsis, Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen.
Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa highlighted that in recent years Debrecen has worked together with the Vocational Training Center, the university, and economic stakeholders to ensure that young people can build their careers locally. “Our goal is to provide a future, jobs, and career opportunities locally for young people in Debrecen and the surrounding area, and to encourage them to envision their future in Debrecen,” said Lajos Barcsa.
Career Week will continue in the coming days with further university and company visits, career guidance lectures, and roundtable discussions.
Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu
