Technical education in Pará advances with certification in Artificial Intelligence
More than 70 students complete unprecedented course resulting from international partnership that unites technical education and innovation
More than 70 students from the State Technical School (EETEPA) Dr. Celso Malcher are part of the first class formed in the Artificial Intelligence course – Stemi Lab. They recently received their certificates after six months of study and practice, in a project resulting from the partnership between the Secretary of Science, Technology and Higher, Professional and Technological Education (Sectet), the Secretary of Education (Seduc), the Itaú Foundation, and the Croatian company Stemi Lab.
The certification ceremony featured the special presence of developers from the Stemi Lab platform, who came directly from Croatia, as well as representatives from the Itaú Foundation and the educational consultancy Sincroniza Educação, who took advantage of the visit to learn about the work developed at the school and clarify students' doubts.
During the course, the students, guided by teachers Rick Figueiredo and Cíntia Rodrigues, explored everything from conceptual issues about intelligence and machine learning to practical application with the creation of chatbots to solve real problems.
One of the highlights was the project “Celsinho,” a virtual assistant created by a group of students from the course — Matheus Henrique, Jean Saldanha, and João Pedro Pantoja. According to Matheus, the tool is still in the testing phase but already shows great potential. “It was amazing to develop something that can really help people in their daily lives. ‘Celsinho’ is still being improved, but it is already capable of answering questions about the school and its services,” he said.
For student Maria Alice Fernandes do Sacramento, from the 2nd year of Computer Science for the Internet, the experience was transformative: “Learning about artificial intelligence made me realize that this technology is much closer to us than we imagine. Now I feel prepared to think of solutions using AI in my professional future,” she commented.
Teacher Cíntia Rodrigues highlighted the protagonism of the youth: “More than learning technical concepts, they developed critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. It is gratifying to see the sparkle in their eyes when presenting their projects,” she pointed out.
The head of Sectet, Victor Dias, reinforced the commitment to technological education: “Training in artificial intelligence is no longer a differential; it is a necessity. We want our students to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, and partnerships like this show that it is possible to offer international-level experiences in the public network,” he stated.
The certification of the first class is an unprecedented achievement in Pará: EETEPA Dr. Celso Malcher was the only technical school in the State to execute and complete the project. For Marin Troselj, a developer of the platform, the experience of interacting with students is a source of satisfaction. “Participating in this moment and exchanging experiences with the students is profoundly inspiring. Seeing how they incorporate the technology we create, adapting it to the local reality, confirms that knowledge knows no borders. This certification proves that when technical education and innovation come together, the result is a real and transformative impact.”
Text: Carla Couto/Sectet
