The Opole Province is characterised by rich traditions and harmonious cooperation between cultures: Polish, Czech and German. It makes the inhabitants of the region more open to international contacts and exchange of experiences. Many of them have extensive experience from working in different countries of the European Union, mainly in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands. These contacts allow us to transplant certain models and high work standards from those countries into our own region, which results in higher qualifications of employees and familiarity with the requirements of Western European employers. Returning to their own region, those people create new jobs, strengthening the small and medium enterprise sector and utilising their vast experience from the European labour market.
Academic Centres
An increasing level of qualifications is one of the factors which stimulate the economic growth of the entire Region. Opole City, capital of the region, is the main academic city and within the region study more than 25.000 students per year. In the radious of 150 km, with such an academic hubs as Wrocław and Katowice, ca. 280.000 students are at the disposal of employers with more than 80.000 graduates per year.
The largest educational institutions are based in Opole:
- Opole University — the largest and the most prestigious higher education institution in Opole, educates e.g. economists, doctors, lawyers, philologists etc.
- Opole University of Technology — the largest technical university in the region, with such courses of stydy like: construction, engineering, automation and robotics, electrical engineering and telecommunication, computer science, mechanical and machine specialists. There are also students educated in English and German.
- Academy of Applied Sciences University of Management and Administration in Opole – the largest non-public institution of higher education in Opole, where managerial staff is prepared for the challenges of running a company,
- WSB Merito University in Wrocław Branch in Opole – trains in many faculties e.g.: HR, controlling, Lean Manufacturing, EHS, etc. Since 2017 – MBA.
Other educational institutions in the region include: State Academy of Applied Sciences in Nysa, trains e.g. technical staff, production management, IT, philology, construction . There is also The Academy of Humanities and Economics in Brzeg.
Vocational and Technical Education
Centres of practical training and continuing education: Opole, Nysa, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Strzelce Opolskie. Each one has a well-equipped technical infrastructure in the form of lecture space, classes for the practical teaching of the profession of electromechanics, robotics and programming, numerical control centres, welders, carpenters, etc.
Vocational and technical education implementing educational programmes and professional practice to fulfil the needs of the job market and the requirements of employers and the system of vocational practice.
GENERAL INFORMATION (06.2023)
- Population: over 942 thousand inhabitants
- Registerred unemployed: 20.9 thousand people, unemployment rate: 6.1 %
- Gross average monthly salary in the region in industry: 6661,16 PLN
- 60 % of society is in working age