A presentation of the unique book History of Vocational Education in Georgia prepared by the Tbilisi State University Vocational Education Center was held at TSU.

Those in attendance included TSU Rector, Academician Jaba Samushia; Givi Mikanadze, the Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia; representatives from the Ministry, the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Education, Science and Youth Affairs, the Tbilisi City Hall’s Department of Culture, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, Skills Agency Georgia, the TSU Vocational Education Center, students, academics and invited guests.  

“Vocational education has its own distinct importance for Georgia. Historically, studying crafts was prestigious in our country. The 19th century was the era of vocational schools. The need for vocational education is still clearly visible in Georgia today. We know that many interesting things are planned in this regard. Collecting the material included in this book was not easy. Through this book, the public will learn a great deal of new information,” said TSU Rector Jaba Samushia.

“Vocational education is becoming increasingly relevant in our lives. We are focusing particularly on this area and intend to strengthen the infrastructure of vocational institutions, develop programs tailored to market needs, and expand the geographical reach of ​​educational institutions. Many investors are entering Georgia today, and they should not experience any discomfort. They should not need to bring in personnel; our population should be fully employed. It is important that trust in vocational programs has increased recently,” said Givi Mikanadze, the Minister of Education, Science and Youth.

The book History of Vocational Education in Georgia is based on existing publications, periodicals and other archival materials documenting the history of vocational education in Georgia. These materials were obtained with the support of the National Archives of Georgia and the National Library of Georgia.

For centuries, training vocational personnel has been important in Georgia. This is evident in the agricultural and craft traditions of ancient Colchis and Iberia, as well as in the medieval academies, forges, and workshops that played a crucial role in preserving and developing national identity, culture, and stability.

Salome Chanturidze, the manager of professional orientation and career planning at the TSU Vocational Education Center, is the author and compiler of the book. Kakhaber Cheishvili, the deputy rector of TSU, is the editor-in-chief.

The TSU Vocational Education Center prepared the book, History of Vocational Education in Georgia, within the framework of the Tbilisi City Hall program, Creative Tbilisi, and the Publishing Activities competition. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Youth of Georgia supported the printing of the book.

This bilingual (Georgian-English) book covers the history of vocational education from the 1840s to 1921.