“We will seek to attract more young people to chemistry fields together with the local school of chemistry. We will use the scholarship programmes to motivate the students of these fields, support them and find new talents among them,” says Piotr Kearney, Spolana’s executive director. He adds: “I believe the merit scholarships will help increase the student motivation to better results and greater responsibility over the long term. Furthermore, the students can apply the theoretical insights from instruction both in real life and practice to their own benefit and the benefit of the entire society.”

Thus, chemistry fields return to Neratovice after many years. For instance, the school will offer the field of food product analyses, computer networks, or an operator in chemical operations. “The merger with the vocational school on Kralupy has enabled us to move chemistry fields back to Neratovice. Based on this, I managed to establish critical cooperation with Spolana and make the new fields to be opened in the school year 2023/2024 more attractive. I believe the bonus of the scholarship programme will make this study more attractive among primary school students and increase their interest in choosing these fields. Yet, I do not dare estimate the interest now,” said the school principal, Marcela Hrejsová.

Spolana will offer several scholarship types to students. After commencing the first year of study, a student may get a one-time recruitment contribution of CZK 2,000. Successful students will also be entitled to a scholarship each term. If they have excellent study results (average grade of 1.5), they get CZK 1,000. Those with an average result of 2.0 receive CZK 800, and those with an average result of 2.5 will be entitled to CZK 500. In addition, Spolana will award a target bonus of CZK 1,000 to those who pass the final school-leaving examination successfully. Those interested may also undergo their practical training on the company premises. Depending on the current staffing situation, Spolana will preferentially offer jobs to the graduates.

Thus, Spolana’s collaboration with the school of chemistry in Neratovice follows in the footsteps of its parent group, ORLEN Unipetrol, which has long supported education in the Czech Republic. Among others, ORLEN Unipetrol closely cooperates with many secondary schools in the Most district and offers study courses in the University Centre of the University of Chemistry and Technology directly on the premises of the Litvínov plant. Furthermore, the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation provides financial support to successful secondary school and university students and teachers and instructional projects for primary schools. The Foundation also secures funding for purchases of the necessary equipment.

Contact details: Pavel Kaidl, spokesperson, telephone: +420 736 502 520, email: pavel.kaidl@orlenunipetrol.cz