First place in the “ENERGY IN THE WIRE” competition for students of Montenegrin secondary schools in the field of electrical engineering, along with a cash prize of €750, was won by a team from the “Vaso Aligrudić” Secondary Electrical Engineering School in Podgorica.
Teams of three from four educational institutions offering programmes in the field of electrical engineering tested their knowledge and skills (the Secondary Vocational School in Berane, the “Vaso Aligrudić” Secondary Electrical Engineering School in Podgorica, the Secondary Vocational School in Nikšić and the Secondary Vocational School in Pljevlja).
Second place and a cash prize of €600 went to the team from the Secondary Vocational School in Nikšić, while third place and €450 were won by the team from the Secondary Vocational School in Berane. The prize for the best individual, worth €250, went to Miloš Rašković (Secondary Vocational School – Nikšić), while the prize for the best school, a laptop, was awarded to the “Vaso Aligrudić” Secondary Electrical Engineering School in Podgorica. Prizes of €250 were also provided for the mentors of the winning teams.
– We prepared for the competition for a month. The tasks are demanding, but we started on time and won. We didn’t expect to win because the competition was really strong, so we’re pleased – said Andrija Đinović from the first-place team.
– It’s great to take part in competitions like this. We’re pleased with second place, but we’ll do our best to be even better next year – said Đorđe Šljukić, a student at the Secondary Vocational School in Nikšić.
The competitors’ knowledge and skills were assessed by a three-member expert jury chaired by Dr Vladan Durković, a professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Podgorica. In addition to Durković, the task of selecting the best competitors was entrusted to Vladimir Ivanović, Head of CEDIS’s Operations Directorate, and Sandra Brkanović from the Centre for Vocational Education.
The “ENERGY IN THE WIRE” competition is organised by the Montenegrin Electricity Distribution System and the Association of Electrical Engineering Teachers of Montenegro (UPECG), with the support of the Centre for Vocational Education. The event was opened by Vladimir Čađenović, CEDIS Executive Director, and Vladan Durković from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.
– We consider corporate social responsibility one of the most important aspects of our work, and one of the projects we are especially proud of is the “Energy in the Wire” competition. I am certain that the opportunity to demonstrate and put to the test the knowledge they have acquired through practical work means a great deal to young people. Opportunities to develop their skills and gain experience through real-life encounters and work placements build their confidence and often represent a key step towards choosing their future profession. This competition should offer young people new opportunities, experiences and connections, and support them in their aspirations to explore the boundless possibilities offered by electrical engineering. We believe that close cooperation between companies and educational institutions significantly raises the level of young people’s competencies, and this competition, which is already becoming a tradition, is an excellent example of productive cooperation between the business and education sectors – said Čađenović at the opening of the competition.
Durković highlighted the importance of events of this kind, particularly for students, and praised the organisers for their perseverance in holding the competition in person while complying with the measures required by the COVID-19 crisis.
The theoretical part of the competition included testing knowledge of electrostatics, steady electric currents, alternating-current circuits and other relevant fields. The practical part focused on the application of knowledge in electrical installations and lighting, specifically on selecting the appropriate components to ensure high-quality electrical installations.
