At the beginning of the new school year, the ORLEN Unipetrol Group awarded merit scholarships to 17 students of all four years of the Educhem secondary school in Meziboří near Litvínov. The scholarships were awarded based on their outstanding study results in the school year 2021/2022. The talented students of applied chemistry received motivational scholarships totalling CZK 262,000. The refining and petrochemical ORLEN Unipetrol Group has been Educhem’s long-standing partner. It supports the lessons of chemistry and other natural sciences at secondary schools and universities across the Czech Republic.
“Together with Educhem, we have long sought to attract more young people to technical fields. We use merit scholarships as a motivational tool to support students of chemical disciplines and find new talents among them. I am happy that also this year, we could reward almost 20 talented students with excellent academic achievements and success at specialised competitions and Olympiads. I wish all awardees every success in their future activities. I believe their outstanding example will motivate all prospective students of applied chemistry,” says Jiří Hájek, CEO of ORLEN UniCRE.
“We are pleased that merit scholarships have been here to increase the student motivation to better outcomes and higher responsibility,” says Helena Kripnerová, principal of Educhem in Meziboří near Litvínov. She adds: “The students can use the insights gained during chemistry classes in real life and practice, which is both for their own and the society’s benefit. I want to use this opportunity to thank ORLEN Unipetrol for the scholarships and all the support they give us, including practical training, long-term student jobs, and future professional opportunities for our students,” Educhem’s principal concludes.
Merit scholarships for the school year 2021/2022 were awarded to students of all years, based on their results in each term. The wide range of criteria for granting the scholarship included their average study results, participation in competitions, and the school’s representation. Also, the students must not have any unexcused lessons and disciplinary actions. ORLEN Unipetrol distributed CZK 262,000 among the best 17 students.
With its educational activities, ORLEN Unipetrol seeks to enhance young people’s interest in technical fields and natural sciences. The company also supports students of Educhem’s higher grades with an offer of practical training. A two-week programme is mostly held at ORLEN Unipetrol laboratories in Záluží near Litvínov. Special excursions in chemical plant operations, various debates and workshops open the horizon into the fascinating world of chemistry, too. Educhem graduates have an opportunity to obtain a job directly in the manufacturing process, or they can advance to another level of education as part of the university study programmes offered by the special University Centre (VŠCHT – FS ČVUT – ORLEN Unipetrol). The centre is also located on the premises of the Litvínov plant and currently offers study programmes to 50 students.
The ORLEN Unipetrol Group is the largest refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude oil processing and the production, distribution and sale of vehicle fuels and petrochemical products – particularly plastics and fertilisers. It belongs among the critical players in the Czech and Central European markets in all these areas. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group encompasses refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo, with its Mogul brand in Pardubice and Kolín, Spolana Neratovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. Unipetrol also includes a network of ORLEN Benzina filling stations in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. With 426 filling stations, ORLEN Benzina is the largest chain in the Czech Republic. Since its entry in 2019 to Slovakia, ORLEN Benzina has been one of the fastest-growing chains and currently has 23 stations in its network. ORLEN Unipetrol employs almost 5,000 people and is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became a member of the ORLEN Group, the largest crude oil processor in Central Europe. The ORLEN Unipetrol is also active in corporate social responsibility. Therefore, it pays equal attention to initiatives that cultivate and support sustainable development, education, local communities, and the environment.