Support for education

Another dimension of JSW Group's cooperation with local communities is the increasingly extensive work with local authorities in the towns and municipalities where its companies operate, with a focus on education in mining professions at schools which are managed by local government.

From JSW Group's point of view, this is a solution that secures an influx of young personnel and thus counteracts the generational gap risk. This cooperation is intended to raise the quality of education for young people by offering internships and support for various types of educational projects, which results in potential for the Company's development and ensures optimal conditions for JSW Group's effective and efficient operations. Aside from JSW, other JSW Group subsidiaries are undertaking such cooperation, including CLP-B, JSK and JSU.

Having signed a range of agreements with schools in 2017, in 2018 JSW created a special scholarship program for these schools' pupils who are receiving education in mining professions.

Equipment for learning the basics of electronics and electric technologies was given in December 2019 to John Paul II School in Pawłowice. The equipment was financed by JSW Foundation.

This modern equipment is used by pupils in classes sponsored by Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa, for miners and electricians. "This equipment is really easy to use and logical. We use it to take various measurements, including voltage and power, explained Szymon Skaźnik, a second-year student at this technical secondary school.

A wide range of equipment was installed at the hands-on vocational learning workshop - from machinery to electronic technology and electronics. “This equipment is used with a broader application because we educate electricians and machinery operators. In the future, we intend to place greater emphasis on control devices, which are used for teaching electronics, as this is the basis for mining automation," says Stanisław Płaczek, a vocational teacher. He adds that control automation is seeing a broader application in mining - not just on the surface but also in underground excavations.

The equipment is worth PLN 54 thousand, of which PLN 48 thousand was provided by JSW Foundation. "I am glad that aside from the internships that take place at the mine and on the surface, we as JSW Foundation were able to provide professional equipment for the school. This way, the youth can expand their knowledge and in the future use it at work as electricians. Especially since demand for this profession at the mines is tremendous," says Aleksander Szymura, director of labour at the Pniówek mine and vice-president of JSW Foundation's management board.

So far, JSW Foundation has made 180 donations to various organisations and institutes in 16 towns where Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa operates.

In June 2019, JSW Group for the first time awarded special scholarships for the best students at schools with a mining profile. Robert Małłek, then acting President of JSW's Management Board, and Artur Wojtków, Deputy President of the Management Board for Labour and Social Policy, handed the awards.

Scholarships funded by Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa were received by 27 students from Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Knurów, Czerwionka-Leszczyny, Ornontowice and Pawłowice. These awards are intended to encourage young people to work at JSW's mines. "We are delighted at this opportunity to meet a group of such talented students, present scholarships to the best ones and support you in your education. I am very happy and I sincerely congratulate you," said Robert Małłek.

Special awards were given to the three best students in mining classes from each school that is party to a cooperation agreement. The scholarship amounts were as follows: PLN 1 500, PLN 1 000 and PLN 800. "Remember that this is a very big accolade. I want to thank the best students and the teachers because it is thanks to you that the students are getting such good results and today we can hand them these awards," summarised Artur Wojtków, Deputy President of the Management Board for Labour and Social Policy.

JSW Group also cooperates with the following universities on a long-term basis:

  • AGH University of Science and Technology (letter of intent regarding mining internships for AGH students signed between AGH and JSW on 9 December 2016, cooperation agreement between AGH's Mining and Geo-engineering Faculty and JSW signed on 19 April 2017 clarifying the scope of cooperation referred to in the letter of intent, cooperation agreement between AGH's Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection Faculty and JSW signed on 23 June 2017 clarifying the scope of cooperation referred to in the letter of intent),
  • Silesian University of Technology (letter of intent regarding mining internships for the university's students signed between Silesian University of Technology and JSW on 20 December 2016, cooperation agreement between Silesian University of Technology's Mining and Geology Faculty and JSW signed on 19 April 2017 clarifying the scope of cooperation referred to in the letter of intent, cooperation agreement between Silesian University of Technology's Mining and Geology Faculty (Mining Geodesy) and JSW signed on 14 July 2017 clarifying the scope of cooperation referred to in the letter of intent),
  • Polish Academy of Sciences (agreement executed on 9 May 2017 between the Polish Academy of Sciences' Institute for Mineral Resources Management and JSW - internships for the Academy's employees).

Aside from organising hands-on classes for secondary-school mining students, JSW Szkolenie i Górnictwo participates in events such as the Jastrzębie Career Week. Its 9th edition was held in 2019, with the main attraction being a Competition City organised at School no. 3 in Jastrzębie-Zdrój. The miner profession was presented to participants not only via 3600 movies but also through a special application, presented by both JSW Szkolenie i Górnictwo and JSW Innowacje. Strictly specialised miners' tasks as well as the handling of controllers and the entire VR environment proved to be quite a challenge. The students admitted that they are now convinced that proper qualifications are simply not enough and that one must have the right features, skills and knowledge in order to handle working at a mine.

The project's partners - JSW Innowacje and the Industrial Academy of Development - invited third-year students from the Silesian Technical School in Katowice, focusing on mechatronics, to participate in a pilot program. Projects that are currently being implemented by JSW Innowacje served as the subject-matter basis for teaching purposes and for developing student competences as regards energy transition and the development of Industry 4.0 in Poland.

For six months, 28 students under the supervision of specialists from the Industrial Academy of Development had the opportunity to get to know student life by participating in creative thinking workshops taking place at the AGH campus. Aside from Design Thinking, a key role in the project was performed by the communication and e-learning application Młody Przemysł. Systematically solving tasks in it allowed the students to build up competences necessary for their future careers. Interactive teaching methods also became a unique tool for communicating between business and the students, who will in the future work as technical personnel. Thanks to this initiative, space was created for communicating and developing an ideal model for teaching youth in the area of developing modern industry and future workforce. At the end of the first, pilot edition of the project, students were given diplomas and the two best teams received awards funded by JSW Innowacje.