“This fall and spring, participants of our school’s courses will be able to choose one of the Lithuanian schools registered in the project and complete the task it provides. From analyzing the current situation to a clear strategy and communication actions on what to do so that students want to attend this school and study there, so that their parents trust it and strong teachers want to work here. The project will cover all the most painful points of the school’s image and provide a clear plan on how to address them,” shares Aivaras Šičkus, director of The Atomic Garden, about the essence of the project.
The first to take on the tasks of Lithuanian schools will be students of the “Brand Manager” course, led by marketing expert Kristina Mažeikytė, who has worked with various brands for decades. The course will also be taught and mentored by teachers from the country’s “coolest” advertising agencies or companies: “TRUTH.”, “MILK”, “SuperYOU”, “Go3 Baltics”, and others.
“A strong school name is not a goal. It is a consequence. A consequence of everyday life where declared values match what really happens in the classroom, corridor, and teachers’ lounge. Children notice that difference the fastest. A strong name arises when good teachers want to come to the school, children want to study there, and parents do not need long explanations about why it is worth trusting. And this is no longer just a communication issue: Lithuania’s future sits in the school bench today. And what kind of school today’s children experience will determine what they create tomorrow and how they will make Lithuania known,” says the interviewee.
According to her, students registered for the course will learn everything about brand management from A to Z, but during those few months, they will be able to consolidate their knowledge by doing practical work that will contribute to an important change for the whole of Lithuania.
The Atomic Garden director Aivaras Šičkus is pleased that as soon as registration opened, 16 schools from various cities and regions of the country have already registered for the project. Registrations for this project are managed by clubs uniting school leaders from all over Lithuania, established by “Education #1”.
“The interest of schools in this project only confirms the fact that such a problem exists and educational institutions need effective strategic and communication solutions. They send a clear signal that they want to better position themselves and communicate more attractively about themselves, attract strong teachers to work, and students who trust the school as a structure to study,” says A. Šičkus.
He also adds that throughout the course, students will learn not “dry” theory but will perform practical tasks as in real work because that is how you truly learn. Later, the acquired knowledge can be applied when working with any brand: from a healthy drink to a technological product, from educational institutions to cafes, restaurants, etc.
This fall, students registered for the “Product Design” course will learn similarly. The course is led by Daumantas Banys, who gained most of his experience working at “Vinted”.
“One of the goals of this course program is to give students registered for it the opportunity to work with real clients and solve their real problems by performing the practical part of the program. Therefore, I am very pleased with the opportunity to cooperate with “Education #1″. We will have a few interesting months during which we will aim to create guidelines for Lithuanian school websites. Our task is to propose, together with the course students, a website model that meets the needs of all community members – students, parents, teachers, and administrative staff,” reveals Daumantas Banys, head of the “Product Design” course.
However, Aivaras Šičkus emphasizes that course participants will have complete freedom of choice – they can take on the task of a school participating in the project or work with their own or represented brand.
“The courses will proceed in the usual way – participants will study according to the entire planned program. But at the same time, they will be able to apply the acquired knowledge by creating meaningful work beneficial to the whole of Lithuania. Such practical experience will not only enhance each participant’s CV but also allow applying the acquired knowledge to solve a real challenge,” says Aivaras Šičkus.
Lithuanian companies are also invited to join the initiative – to develop their employees’ marketing competencies and contribute to real changes in Lithuanian schools. Registration for the upcoming courses here: Brand Manager, Product Design.
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