On 31 July Sven Pertens, Chairman of the Board of the Estonian Asphalt Pavement Association, and Erik Puura, Tartu University Vice-Rector for Development, signed a contract to carry out a road sector competence study. Study brief was compiled by and the organisation of study will be coordinated by the Estonian Road Cluster’s competence workgroup.

The study will identify the structure and competences of existing workforce in the road sector, assess future requirements for competences, analyse the conformity of current curricula and the need for the development of said curricula as well as the current situation of in-service training, its shortcomings and development options. The study also intends to provide an input for preparing quality state-commissioned education for specialists in the road sector.

The study will include the field’s background analysis, an online survey of employees of companies operating in the field, interviews with focus groups and preparation of the study report. An interim report of the study will be completed by October 2014 and the final report by March 2015.

The Estonian Road Cluster was established by relevant companies and educational and research institutions of the road sector in 2012. One of its main objectives is to carry out, through joint activities of companies and research institutions, required changes in the system of in-service training and professional education so as to ensure the existence of human resources with up-to-date competences in the road sector for the future. Current members of the Road Cluster include more than 20 companies and institutions, all of whom are active players in the field with the aim of improving the development of the road sector.

The study of the road sector's labour requirements will be co-funded by Enterprise Estonia and the European Regional Development Fund.

Additional information:
Märt Puust
Project Manager
Estonian Road Cluster
mart.puust@asfaldiliit.ee