Students do not have enough opportunities for practical skills to successfully enter the labor market

Often, students of the Latvian universities have got rather extensive theoretical knowledge, lacking the practical skills. As a result, it is relatively difficult to enter the labor market for students and find a job based on their degree. Employers, in turn, indicate the lack of qualified specialists. Therefore, to help students studying public relations, communications, marketing and journalism, develop their skills, public relations agency A.W.Olsen & Partners/ Scholz & Friends Riga has decided to invest in students’ education and development, providing an opportunity to acquire practical knowledge in the above mentioned spheres. "On the one hand, as employers we want to see already "a ready to use product", because no one has time to invest a lot of time in training a potential employee, especially if he/she has been already paid a salary. On the other hand, we know very well that students have very limited opportunities to acquire practical skills. The scope of the knowledge to a large extent depends on how much of practical knowledge will be given at the university, for example, if lectures are based only on studying theory, if students are stimulated to understand the work specific, daily routines, whether analysis of the situation is conducted, that enables students to understand the essence of their profession. Also it is very important, whether the teachers are theorists or they teach more practical issues. It is also important whether the practice learning is fictitious, or students are really given those daily tasks that are routinely performed by professionals in this field. It is not a secret that many companies agree to take the student as an intern, although he actually trusted to perform only the work that he cannot "spoil", for example, go to the post office, affix stamps, etc. Finally, theoretically, the student will perform practice, but he/she will not have any understanding of the requirements of the profession and the necessary skills "- says Inese Lukaševska, A.W.Olsen & Partners/ Scholz & Friends Riga partner. Within five years in the communication agency A.W.Olsen & Partners/Scholz & Friends Riga 67 students from different universities in Latvia have performed the practice: the School of Business Administration Turiba, University of Latvia, Rīga Stradiņš University, etc. Also, lectures and guest lectures in Latvian universities were presented, giving an understanding of the practical skills and competence. At the same time, the most capable students have been offered real jobs in the public relations agency.