I'll Miss the School and the People
Škoda Auto's success is built first and foremost on its people. For ten years leading the Vocational School, Martin Slabihoudek ensured they arrived well-prepared. Now, with the end of the school year, he is retiring. "The greatest success for me is that the students look forward to coming to our school," he says in an interview.
Martin Slabihoudek
I'll Miss Both the School and the People
Over the ten years he led the vocational school, he managed to modernise it significantly and earn it prestige both within the company and among the general public. Despite this – or perhaps because of it – his successor will have a great deal of work ahead.
Martin Slabihoudek
Head of SEB – Vocational School
Since 1993, he worked as deputy director at Dr Josef Pekař High School in Mladá Boleslav. He has been with Škoda Auto since 2006. He started in the HR department and later worked as a social services coordinator. He became director of the Škoda Auto Vocational School in 2016, leading this traditional part of Škoda Auto's vocational education for ten years. "When I joined Škoda Auto years ago, it was because I wanted a break from education. So I was a bit hesitant about the offer to lead the local vocational school. But I was drawn to the connection between the school and the company, and I have to say I really enjoyed those ten years in charge," he says, describing his career decisions.
Interview
When he looks out from the terrace on the second floor of building V12B, where the Škoda Auto Vocational School is based, he gets a little lost in thought. "The gym and sports facilities we're looking at are starting to show their age. But plans for modernisation – which would also make the school and its facilities part of the public space – are already in place," says Martin Slabihoudek. That, however, will not happen under his "supervision". He is retiring at the end of this school year.
How did you end up leading the school?
My boss, who brought me here, took me to a meeting with the school management at the end of June. I had a sort of working meeting with them, and within an hour I realised they were a great team and that I was really looking forward to working here. I've spent a decade of my life here, and I have to say I'm going to miss this wonderful group of people.
What were you most afraid of back then?
To be honest, whether it was the right move for me to return to education after leaving it once. But I realised that here I had a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the school and the company. The vocational school is one of the faces of the carmaker, a showcase through which Škoda Auto shows what it does for education and for its future employees. That's what made me stay.
How has the school developed over the past ten years?
The vocational school has gradually become a highly respected technical school, both in the region and nationwide, and it has the results to back that up. I'm very pleased that interest in studying here has grown significantly over that time. Of course, this isn't my doing alone; the whole team, Škoda Auto management and the KOVO Trade Union all played a part. The foundation was laid by a memorandum signed with the carmaker's management and the unions in 2014, which guaranteed investment and support for the education of both students and adults. The vocational school is part of the Škoda Academy, which is the unit for employee training. This brings the great advantage that the school's technology, equipment and staff can be used for both groups – students and employees.
Have the students changed in any way during this time?
The current young generation is growing up with IT and social media. They have different priorities. The school has adapted to this, though. Twenty years ago, we took a bag of textbooks and went to school to learn everything there and, so to speak, take it home with us. Today, school is a space for socialising. It also depends greatly on the teachers – how much they inspire the students and how interesting the topics they offer are. After all, students learn most things not at school but through the internet. They are getting used to the fact that if they want to succeed, they have to take part in lifelong learning.
I'm extremely glad that our school has a healthy atmosphere. When I walk through the corridors, I see that both students and teachers look forward to being here, and that is essential for me and for the school's future.
One of the school's most visible and enjoyable projects is the student-built cars. What significance do you think this project has?
It's a huge undertaking. We're currently starting work on the eleventh car, and over the course of the project we've managed to take it even further than the original vision. It's not just about modifying a car; the students create the entire concept of a new vehicle. The resulting student-designed cars have often been very successful; we've had enquiries asking why Škoda Auto doesn't produce something like that. (laughs) But these are still projects without financial or marketing feasibility studies, so they simply remain in the realm of fantasy. For me, the project is hugely valuable, because it involves not only students, teachers and vocational training instructors but also colleagues from Škoda Auto, who can offer advice, parts or cars. The icing on the cake is the involvement of Board Members, who also really enjoy the project and often, during its presentations, return with the students to their own youth, so to speak.
Didn't you want to take any of them home? Which one caught your eye the most?
As a true patriot, I can't name a specific car. But of course I remember the last one best – the L&K 130. That car was developed by a large team that included professionals from the world of cycling. It fulfilled a big dream of ours when it received partial homologation and took part in the first and last stages of the Tour de France as a support vehicle. Our students and teachers also got to experience the race with the car, and a big thank you for that goes to everyone who took part in the project.
What do you consider your greatest success?
The way Škoda employees and the public see the school. I'm extremely happy that the school has a healthy atmosphere. I look forward to work; when I walk through the corridors, I see that our students look forward to coming here too. And that's essential to me.
Is there anything you haven't managed to accomplish?
Even though the students enjoy coming here, I haven't managed to get any of them to say, before leaving for the holidays, that two months without school would be a disaster. (laughs) But seriously now. I've found that when you solve something, it comes back to you anyway after five or six years. I just haven't worked out what to do about it. But maybe that's just how it is – after a while, even good decisions need to be reviewed and adjusted based on what works and how. That will probably be a task for my successor too.
Speaking of new leadership – do you have any advice for your successor?
We're already handing over important school projects. Otherwise, I think ten years is exactly the right time for the school to get a new "coach", another boost to its development. That's also why I won't be giving any advice. It will be great if the new principal brings something of her own, something new, to the leadership. But I'll be happy to keep following the school and rooting for it, looking forward to what its team can achieve.
Where would you like to see the school in ten years?
I'd like the vocational school to remain the right and respected place for education. But also a space where not only students and teachers return, but other people too – so that there's a rich and meaningful life here. The conditions for that are amazing, so let's keep it that way in the future.
In your opinion, how does the partnership with Škoda Auto help the vocational school most, and vice versa?
The greatest benefit for both the carmaker and the school is that, thanks to a decision by Škoda Auto's management and the KOVO Trade Union, students were guaranteed a position at the company in 2016 on successful completion of their studies. But the daily support from various departments, as well as the interest shown by the company and the unions, is also amazing. I really appreciate that.
How do you recognise a good teacher and a good master craftsman?
They say: "A good teacher teaches, an excellent one demonstrates and explains, and the best one inspires." I think that fits our situation. The best teachers can get their students excited about new technologies and a future career at Škoda Auto. The master craftsmen, in turn, can show them that the future doesn't lie only in groundbreaking patents, but that you can also succeed through everyday manual mastery.
What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
When I was deciding whether to retire after ten years, I looked to my family. I have two granddaughters who are slowly getting ready for dance class, and two others in year five, so I believe it's time to devote myself fully to family activities. We love to travel, so that will certainly be a big part of my life. I'm also looking forward to my hobbies and sport. I have a number of active retirees in my circle, so I certainly won't be bored.