The Piotr Latoska school in Ruda Śląska, in Poland’s Śląskie region, has adapted one of its classrooms to serve as a laboratory for the testing of sound system devices and set up a professional recording studio under an EU-funded project. As a result, the school, which provides an industry-specific education at upper-secondary level, can offer unique training based on the latest technological developments. Its students thus have the chance to gain skills that are much sought after on the job market and go on to qualify as sound system technicians.
Professional recording studio for Piotr Latoska school in Ruda Śląska, Poland
- 30 September 2019
EU funds are a substantial financial boost for our city and it is largely thanks to them that it is able to develop. So far, Ruda Śląska has obtained over PLN 600 million for the realisation of almost 100 projects. These include funds which support us in making our educational offer more attractive. Among other things, funds obtained from the EU served to create didactic rooms which facilitate preparation for work as technicians for recording and sound studios. Thanks to modern equipment and accessories, the students train in conditions similar to those of professional recording studios. The laboratories play a significant role in promoting the school, interest in which has been enormous.”
The acoustics in the room housing the sound system testing laboratory were adjusted and necessary equipment, including digital audio workstation software for recording, editing and producing audio files, was purchased for both the laboratory and the recording studio.
Conditions in the recording studio now resemble those of a professional facility and classes can be organised to prepare students for exams on creating recordings and sound reinforcement, and for future careers in what is an attractive line of work for young people.
A stronger artistic profile
A main aim of the activities was to strengthen the educational potential of the Piotr Latoska school by transforming it from a typical vocational and technical school into an institution with a stronger artistic profile, both in terms of the subjects on offer and the student profile. Alongside the work done under the project, cooperation with a local music school made it possible to attract new students and reach this goal.
Further objectives were to meet demand in the local area for qualifications in specialist fields, such as the recording industry, and to produce graduates with the necessary competences to continue their education at university, with a view to becoming qualified sound engineers.
High-quality training
Thanks to the development of the laboratory and studio, 40 students a year can receive recording and audio system training in line with professional requirements. The facilities benefit the wider school community, particularly students of other subjects with an interest in music.
As well as aligning the educational process more closely with labour market needs, the project raised the school’s profile and it is now well-placed to become a regional centre for professional examinations for the audio sector. At the same time, the laboratory and studio open possibilities for collaboration with other schools, companies and local institutions and associations wishing to organise recording sessions or looking for support with various types of musical, business or cultural activity.
In parallel, two complementary EU-backed actions were implemented to support education in sound and recording at the school. In one, 40 students took part in two-week internships at the media suite of Highbury College in Portsmouth, UK. Under the other, 25 students received career advice, followed certified courses and undertook professional internships working with recording and audio systems. Together, all three projects allowed students to hone their skills and give free rein to their passion and creativity.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Adaptation and equipping the testing laboratory of sound system devices including recording studio in the complex of the Piotr Latoska Upper-Secondary Schools No. 4 in Ruda Śląska” is EUR 102 906, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 62 303 through the “Śląskie Voivodeship” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Education and training”.