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Practical Training in Master's Study Programmes

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As a student at the University of Maribor, you have the option of engaging in practical training during your master’s (2nd-cycle) studies as one of the ECTS accredited extracurricular activities. The practical training is evaluated with 6 ECTS credits. You may apply earned ECTS credits as part of open electives of the master’s study programme in which you are en​rolled if the study programme offers open elective courses and allows selecting practical training as an elective course; otherwise, completed practical training is included in your diploma supplement as an additionally fulfilled study obligation.


​Practical Training on Offer
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What are the benefits of practical training?
Practical training will get you acquainted with concrete problems in practice, your future work environment, and work experience that are important for your studies and easier transition to the labour market. You will gain the competences you need for employment.
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What are the application requirements?
​​You may apply for practical training if you are enrolled in a master's (2nd-cycle) study programme, have student status, and have regularly progressed into the higher year of study (the latter applies to students enrolled in a higher year of study or in a graduate year). You must also check with an individual company, the provider of practical training, whether your field of study corresponds to the chosen practical training.

How long does practical training last?

​​Practical training, for which 6 ECTS credits are recognized, lasts 1 month (i.e. 176 hours or 22 working days). You can complete a maximum of 4 months of practical training (4 semesters), which must be completed during the duration of your studies. The condition for enrolling in practical training is student status. 

What are my obligations if I apply for practical training?
​Before attending practical training, you must pass a medical examination. If no more than 60 months have passed since the systematic examination carried out in the first year of undergraduate study, you don't have to pass the medical examination again. As proof, you must submit the certificate of completed systematic examination, which you receive at the clinic where you performed it. If you passed the systematic examination more than 5 years ago, the medical examination must be performed again, bearing the costs of the examination yourself, unless you agree otherwise with the company in which you will be performing practical training.
 
No later than one month after having completed practical training, you must submit to the practical training coordinator / head of the study programme (defined by the faculty):
  • ​a certificate on completed practical training​​ confirmed by the company (indicating the duration of practical training and signed by the person responsible for practical training in the company); 
  • a report (up to 2 pages) indicating which skills and knowledge related to the field of your study you have acquired through practical training. The report must be confirmed (signed) by the ​practical training coordinator / head of the study programme and then submitted to the student affairs office, where they will enter practical training into relevant records.

When and how can I apply for practical training?
You can apply for practical training at any time during the academic year. You must fill in the application form, have it confirmed by the student affairs office and by the training coordinator at the faculty where you are enrolled, and then send it together with all required supplemental documents by e-mail to the provider of practical training. You must also submit a copy of the documentation to the training coordinator or head of the study programme at the faculty. You can find the pre-filled application form in the AIPS web interface under the Study/Practical training application tab.

In order to attend practical training, the student must pass a medical examination and occupational safety and health training and have the insurance for accidents at work and the insurance of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZPIZ).

If you wish to apply practical training as part of open electives (if the study programme in which you are enrolled includes open elective courses), check the possibilities at the faculty. You may only apply practical training that is confirmed in advance and for which the content programme of your work in the company is submitted. Follow the offer on the ​Practical Training on Offer​ website, where practical training must be properly recorded and published. ​​
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What are the obligations of the company that offers practical training?
​The University of Maribor publishes practical training offers only for companies that provide at least:
  • ​Payment of insurance for accidents at work and ZPIZ insurance.
  • Work remuneration for practical training.
  • ​Occupational safety and health training in accordance with the legislation.

Since the University wants to ensure that the above applies to all students who would like to perform practical training, every practical training offer must be confirmed in advance and published on the P​​ractical Training on Offer website. The company must enter practical training in the online form​.


Companies wishing to participate in the project and offer practical training to students of the 2nd-cycle (master's) study programmes of the University of Maribor must provide the following information in the online form:

  • ​a brief description of the practical training content for students;
  • practical training field or desired profile of the graduate;
  • offered conditions to the student for performing practical training (payment of practical training, reimbursement of food and travel costs, etc.);
  • company's expectations of the student (general characteristics, e.g. motivation, reliability, responsibility, other specific characteristics).

Documentation


Read about students' experiences with practical training.

👩‍🎓 Nika Gaberšek
​"At the master's programme, each student thinks more specifically about employment opportunities. In order to increase my experience, gain new competences, gain fresh knowledge, get to know a possible future work environment, I decided to do a practical training at the Bank of Slovenia. 

Practical training (in the so-called mature study years - when you already know what you want to do in life) was also one of the highly valued work experiences from employers' point of view and proof of commitment to perform work tasks when I was looking for my first job."​

👩‍🎓 Asja Babič
​"In the course of my education, I focused on the Corporate Security of Business Organizations module at the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security and wanted to transfer theoretical knowledge into practical training. I did a practical training at Krka d.d..

I did the practical training at the Department of Work Security and Health, where I learned to work in various IT programs, learned about the processes that are key in the company to establish security at the highest level and learned about house rules, safety laws and other security policy, in accordance with which the work of employees in the company takes place.

In addition to the stated tasks, I also performed other administrative tasks, where I gained precision and organizational skills, and at the same time I gained additional communication skills that are needed every day in such large and diverse teams. I learned how the internal organization and system work in such a large company and what are the key or necessary factors needed for work  processes to be most successful and there are no potential dangers.

I believe that the experience gained will help me develop personal growth and the way of thinking on my career path."

👩‍🎓 Anja Bertoncelj
​"I applied for a practical training in order to add practical knowledge to my theoretical knowledge, which I definitely gained. The experience in practical training was priceless, as I followed the lawyer Helena Polič Kosa and thus gained a lot of knowledge and insight into the work of a lawyer. I would definitely recommend everyone to take part in a practical training, as such experience means a lot in finding a job and at the same time enriches the knowledge gained in lectures."
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WARNING:
Since practical training is not part of an accredited study programme, the University of Maribor does not interfere in the relations between companies and students and has no obligations or responsibilities towards students. The University of Maribor acts only as a link between students and potential employers, meaning:
  • ​You participate in practical training at your own request and responsibility.
  • If you are not satisfied with the training, you can justifiably withdraw from it, and the individual company reserves the right to terminate cooperation with you in the event of dissatisfaction before the end of the training.
  • Being selected for practical training does not guarantee later employment in the company, although it can also create these kinds of opportunities. ​

👩‍🏫 Katja Korošec, 3fs d.o.o.
Read also about supervisor's experince!
"Our practical training takes place in the summer, from mid-June to the end of September, for at least 8 weeks. Each student who applies first solves a task that assesses the level of knowledge and consequently the possibilities for inclusion in existing projects. Each student is assigned a mentor who accompanies and mentors him / her during the training. Mentors are our employees who choose this role voluntarily and who are part of the projects in which students are involved. Each student receives all the necessary equipment (computer, monitor, etc.) and a monthly payment during the internship. The purpose of the internship is to present to students the best possible way of working as a programmer in an IT company. By being involved in the work process, students live the life of our employees for at least two months - they attend daily meetings and learn about the work lifestyle at the company. The work takes place partly in the office and partly from home - by agreement with the mentor. This way, students gain a real-world experience that we believe is crucial to deciding on the career future of young people. Many students return to us every summer until the end of their studies, and after finishing their studies, some get employed by our company. Students can therefore expect from us a guided practice, the aim of which is to bring the students as close as possible to the reality of this profession. During and after the end of the annual practical training, we are happy to accept the opinions and suggestions of students who have been with us, and in this way, we improve it."​

Frequently Asked Questions

    👨‍🎓 Jaka Premzel
    ​"During my master's studies at the Faculty of Law in Maribor, I performed practical training at the company ELEKTRO Maribor. The decision to do a professional training was definitely welcome and correct, as I learned additional skills that I could not have acquired in lectures. ELEKTRO Maribor is liable for public procurement, so I got acquainted with an area that is not covered in lectures. I definitely recommend doing a professional training, as not all knowledge can be gained from books."​

    👨‍🎓 Matic Rutnik
    ​​"Performing professional training during ​2nd-cycle studies definitely expanded my knowledge and supported the professional field of study. I was very satisfied with the professional training, as I gained new experience and had excellent cooperation and advice from the work mentor. I believe that any practice perfects the field of the individual and at the same time finds an area that makes you happy. I warmly recommend such an experience to all of you who are at this stage, or I urge you not to miss opportunities such as professional training."
    ​​Interreg Danube Transnational Programme EDU-LAB