ROJEK bridges craftsmanship and education across Europe.

In April 2025, we had the honor of hosting a delegation of Finnish educators from the TAO Lahti association here in the Czech Republic. Over the course of their three-day visit, we explored every stage of carpentry education — from students’ first encounters with handheld tools in elementary school to professional work on specialized machinery in advanced workshops.

From Classroom Benches to Real-World Production

In partnership with selected schools, we showed our Finnish colleagues the full educational pathway. The tour kicked off at the College of Applied Arts and Secondary Industrial School in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, where state-of-the-art carpentry workshops and forward-looking curricula demonstrated how traditional craft blends with cutting-edge technology. On day two, we visited the Secondary School of Construction in Vysoké Mýto, where the “Carpentry” program has strengthened its position through a clear focus on hands-on practice and real-life commissions.

Craftsmanship Begins in Elementary School

Elementary schools in Dobřany and Týniště nad Orlicí then illustrated how a love for materials and manual skills can be nurtured from a very young age. Our Finnish guests were impressed to see Czech pupils in the lower grades working with wood, producing everything from simple projects to beautifully crafted pieces.

Showcasing Professional Production: ROJEK in Action

One of the trip’s highlights was a visit to ROJEK a.s.’s operational facilities—the very company that organized the program. Guests toured our production hall, assembly line, and showroom, where we presented our broad portfolio of professional woodworking machines—equipment that may soon play a role in Finnish vocational education.

Our aim was to demonstrate what truly effective collaboration between schools and industry looks like, and how modern equipment can fundamentally elevate the quality of instruction—not only in the Czech Republic but across Europe.

A Shared Objective: High-Quality Craftsmanship Training

The entire exchange confirmed that the Czech approach to vocational education is both competitive and inspiring. Our Finnish colleagues were fascinated not only by the technical details but also by how instruction is organized and how schools connect with real-world practice. In turn, we learned that in Finland, children begin working with machinery as early as the upper levels of primary school—an insight that opens exciting possibilities for future collaboration.

The closing discussion underscored a mutual commitment to continue this partnership. We’re convinced that by linking vocational training with the modern technology ROJEK provides, we can help shape a new generation of European craftsmen.