Universities, public and private, polytechnics, vocational schools, training centres, companies, schools of various levels of education, associations, authorities and public bodies. For three days, from today until 10th May, the OPTO – VII Education and Training Forum of the Algarve is back at the Albufeira Sports Pavilion.
This is, as I told the Sul Informação the mayor of Albufeira, the entity that organizes OPTO, a «fair that sells ideas, that is, the possibility that one day, in two or three years' time, young people who come here can enter the higher education course they like best. ».
But, adds José Carlos Rolo, who has even been a teacher and director of a school, “it's not just higher education, we have professional courses here, other possibilities to enter active life, such as the Naval School, the National Republican Guard , PSP, Civil Protection, a whole series of entities that are themselves a way of life. We cannot think that we will only have engineers and doctors. You have to have people with intermediate courses, so it is extremely interesting to see here many schools that have more practical, professional, confectionery, cooking, technical, photography, beauty courses».
The mayor of Albufeira, in his statements to the Sul Informação, he underlined that “universities are highly represented here, as their role is also to show themselves, to attract students. State universities also finance themselves at the expense of the number of students they have, while in private universities this objective is even stronger».
This is because, stressed José Carlos Rolo, “you have to show the offer, so that young people can choose. In my time, we didn't have a lot of choice».
For his part, Alexandre Lima, regional delegate of the Directorate-General for Schools (DGEstE), told our newspaper that “this is the fair with the longest history of all those held in the Algarve. Albufeira Town Council has made a major investment in this exhibition and it can be seen that it is a bet won by the number of young people who come here, to get in contact with other experiences, other realities, courses that they often do not know about. It is a unique opportunity for them to try to make a selection about what will be their path, their future path, in terms of training and studies».
OPTO, which this year has more than six dozen exhibitors, presents at least two novelties – the first presence of the University of Madeira and the Swiss Education Group, a Swiss organization that brings together some of the best hotel schools in Europe.
Rubina Ferreira, from the University of Madeira, highlighted the existence of courses at this institution that may interest students in the Algarve, namely in Hotel Management and Management, Languages and Business Relations, or the Basic Cycle of the Integrated Masters in Medicine.
And that university has an advantage over others on the Continent: “the Campus has very good conditions, with a residence capable of housing displaced students”. In addition, students in Madeira have great discounts on air travel and other benefits.
On the other hand, added professor Rita Fernandes, «the University of Madeira also offers master's degrees, and today there is the possibility of taking a degree in one place and then a master's degree in another, which enriches the experience».
OPTO's program includes workshops, conferences, presentations of experiences, cooking demonstrations, demonstrations of GNR tracking dogs, interviews within the scope of mobility projects and a wide range of animation proposals inside and outside the venue. Everywhere there are things to try, see, taste and hear.
On the 9th (Thursday), from 16:10 pm to 16:45 pm, prizes are scheduled for the Festival Photography Competition T.
The Photo Exhibition included in the #DestaVezEuVoto Campaign, within the scope of the European Elections of 2019, is also worth mentioning, organized by the Europe Direct Information Center in the Algarve.
There will also be an information session on the National Plan for Ethics in Sports, promoted by the Regional Directorate of the IPDJ, and this last initiative will take place on the 10th, between 10:00 and 11:30, at the Lídia Jorge Municipal Library.
Schools wishing to enroll may also do so, by contacting the email [email protected].
On the 8th and 9th (Thursday and Friday), the event is open to the public from 9:30 am to 17:30 pm. On the 10th, the last day of the event, the doors open at 9:30 am and close at 13:00 pm.
As in previous editions, it is recommended that those interested in regional train journeys contact CP's General Directorate of Business Production, by telephone 919 273 772 or even by [email protected], mentioning that they are going to VII OPTO, to look for special prices.
From the Ferreiras train station and within the city of Albufeira, free transport can be guaranteed on the GIRO city buses, and for this it is necessary to request the respective passes from the organization.
The OPTO is the result of a co-organization between the Municipality of Albufeira and DGEstE – Services Directorate for the Algarve Region of the General Directorate of School Establishments and IEFP – Employment and Vocational Training Institute, with the collaboration of the municipality's School Groups.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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