You have until May 2nd to nominate inspiring primary school chemistry and math teachers for the Lae End education program, of which Metrosert is a founding member. Nominations can be submitted by students, alumni, colleagues, and educational leaders on the website laeend.ee.
Aigar Vaigu, Chairman of the Board of Metrosert, said that the issue of aftergrowth is very important for Metrosert. “While we currently seek professionals with applied science and business experience from across Europe, our long-term goal is to cultivate these professionals internally. Educating young people and supporting teachers is critical for the development of Metrosert’s services and for the applied research centre we are launching today – it is an investment in the future that will help build a strong foundation for the success of Estonian science and technology.”
Kristjan Kuhi, Member of the Management Board of Eesti Energia, stressed the role of engineers in the Estonian economy and the increasing demand for technical specialists. According to OSKA, the Chamber of Vocational Education and Training, two-thirds of the required technical specialists will be in short supply over the next decade. According to Kuhi, young people are inspired to pursue engineering by teachers who are passionate about their work.
Tiit Land, Rector of Tallinn University of Technology, added that the university aims to improve the quality of mathematics education in Estonia. He highlighted TalTech’s initiative, an e-learning app that has attracted thousands of interested students. Land emphasized that the success of the economy and the well-being of society as a whole depends on mathematics.
The program organizers also encourage teachers from Russian-speaking schools to nominate their teachers to support them in teaching their subjects in Estonian.
The ten selected math and chemistry teachers will participate in a free, modern training program running from August to December. The teachers will visit companies, get an insight into the practical application of chemistry, mathematics and physics in their professional work, and meet a range of experts and program alumni. At the end of the training, participants will receive a cash award equivalent to one month’s average teacher’s salary.
Last year, 258 physics and chemistry teachers from all Estonian counties were nominated for the program. Over the three seasons, 40 teachers have participated in the Lae End program. In previous seasons, 61 videos were produced in collaboration with teachers and Videoõps, covering the entire primary school physics and science curriculum. The videos support both teachers and students in independent learning. The study kits of the program’s partner Praktikal have reached more than 210 Estonian schools and more than 10,000 students.
Lae End was named Friend of Education of the Year by the Ministry of Education and Research and the City of Tallinn in 2023. The partners of the program are the Estonian Mathematics Society, the Estonian Chemistry Teachers’ Association, the Estonian Physics Society, TalTech, TI-Hüpe, Praktikal, Videoõps and the Energy Discovery Centre.
In 2022, ABB, Enefit, Fermi Energia, LHV, Nordecon, and Metrosert, in collaboration with education leaders, established the Lae End program for physics teachers to provide the best learning experience for all primary school students. As of this year, the program is also supported by Filter AS.
In previous years, the Lae End education program trained physics teachers, and last year, a chemistry teacher strand was added. This year, chemistry and maths teachers are taking part. Physics teachers will be able to participate again in 2026.
For more information and to apply, visit: laeend.ee