SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION COLLEGE OF NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIA
NUACA Yerevan Secondary Vocational Education College (formerly State Construction College named after A. Tamanyan) is 100 years old, the evidence of which is its respectable age with rich biography, youth and active creative life.
Advocates of the engineering mind of the Armenian people undertook the establishment of the first technical educational institution in 1921, which received the approval of the Government. As a result, on November 29, 1921, by the decision of the Sovnarkom (the Council of People’s Commissars), Yerevan Industrial Technical School was founded. Thus, a new and bright chapter was opened in the centuries-old history of the Armenian people.
Our creative people, who had not yet celebrated the first year of their statehood right, embarked on creating the first forge for training secondary vocational technical staff. The choice of that specialty was not accidental. Thousands of years ago when our nation’s birth certificate was being written, it was given a name and a surname: Armenian Builder.
There was a woodshop in the once unadorned, two-bedroom house with a basement at 49 Firdus Street, where the Technical School was initially located. It was a small house with big problems as well as big victories, and this was the motto of the newly founded education institution. At a time of a lack of staff, the first director Alexander Melikyan was able to bring together specialists meeting the requirements of the time in a short period.
The first representatives of the pedagogical staff of the newly established Technical School were Sofia Asatur, Mikael Varuncyan, Khachatur Kananyan, Baghadur Baghadryan, Fridon Aghayan, Iskuhi Khorozyan, Levon Aslanyan, Armenak Muradyan, Taragros Ter-Vardanyan. Our gratitude and honor to them.
In the 1930s, many of the graduates gained Union and Republican fame, becoming well-known figures, devotees of science and technology. Among them were Samvel Safaryan, Hovik Margaryan, Head of the Department of Problem Mechanics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Supreme Council, academician Nagush Harutyunyan, professors of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute Varazdat Harutyunyan, Artashes Mamijanyan, writer, winner of State Prize Anahit Sahinyan, Head of the Chair of Aerodynamics of Moscow Air Force Academy named after Zhukovsky, doctor, professor Rafik Mezhlumyan, architect Hovhannes Hakobyan, Deputy Minister of Gas Industry of the Soviet Union Rudolf Asatryan, doctor, professor Petros Ter-Petrosyan, General Director of “YerevanShin” CJSC Vazgen Poghosyan and other prominent representatives, who had been students of Construction Technical School.
Since 1950, the Construction Technical School has had a great rise. Today we are proud to mention the names of the graduates of those years: four-time World champion and champion of Olympic Games in Pentathlon Igor Novikov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Soviet Union R. Ohanjanyan, lecturers of the University of Architecture and Construction P. Ter-Petrosyan, Sh. Gevorgyan, A. Aleksanyan, A. Yepoyan and many other outstanding people.
In 1953, the Construction Technical School was renamed after academician A. Tamanyan. In 1973, it was moved to a typical school building for 1176 people in the Nor Nork 5th Micro-District, where the facilities were much better. The opportunities of the Technical School were expanded, which contributed to its development. The Directors of the Technical School Aram Korkotyan, Mikael Markosyan, Karen Pahlevanyan, Marat Tshughuryan, Tigran Keshishyan, Petros Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Khachatryan, Anahit Hovhannisyan, who spared no effort for the prosperity of their favorite educational institution, played a great role in its achievements. A special role is played by Robert Khachatryan, who, after managing the Technical School for 26 years, not only contributed to its progress, but also was able to preserve the breath and spirit of his ‘dear home’ in the dark and gloomy years. Countless words of gratitude can be said to him. The heads of departments Asya Hakobyan, Nelly Barseghyan, Varazdat Hakobyan and Albert Gabrielyan, also played an invaluable role in improving the educational activities of the Technical School.
That period of operation was highly appreciated by the all-union and republican governments. Yerevan Construction Technical School also responded to the fateful historical events of our people. After the 7 December, 1988 disaster, the employees of the Technical School left for Leninakan to provide humanitarian aid. A group of 20 students stayed there for about 2 months, and during the summer holidays, 60 students left for Leninakan in the construction brigade, refusing to receive their salaries and transferring it to the public fund for people who suffered from the earthquake. The staff of the Technical School also had its contribution during the Artsakh Liberation War, donating a large amount of money to Stepanakert. Five students of the Technical School fell in the battlefield, not sparing their lives for the Homeland.
In 1990, by the decisions of the Council of Ministers of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic and the USSR Ministry of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education, the status of Yerevan Construction Technical School after A. Tamanyan was changed to Construction College after Academician A. Tamanyan. The change to this status was the result of many years of hard and efficient work of the staff.
From 14 October, 2004 to March, 2008, distinguished lecturer Anahit Hovhannisyan was appointed as the director of the College. Teaching for 24 years with self-devotion and being the spirit and energy of the College as a Head, A. Hovhannisyan was able to direct the development of the College towards educational reforms in a short period of time. A vivid evidence of that is the new strategic teaching program of State Construction College after A. Tamanyan for meeting the demands of the modern-day market which is quite different. The need for new approaches to teaching is emerging around the world. This is attested by the Lisbon, Copenhagen and Bologna Treaties. For this purpose, curricula review, teaching staff training and quality raising of English language and computer courses have been conducted in the College. A module has been created for finalization works, and training activities have been organized with that module. The College has undergone renovations to ensure a more comfortable environment for students. Moreover, signing new contracts with the employers and ensuring the high quality of internship organization has been prioritized.
The main objective of the College is to provide services related to the current needs of the country and its further development. We attach importance to the improvement of the environment as well as the purity of the soul and moral responsibility. One of the College mottos is: “Be the owner of your rights, but do not forget your responsibilities.”
The past of the College fills the souls of people, who are somehow involved in College activities, with a sense of pride. Its graduates of all years have fulfilled their duties with a great sense of responsibility and consciousness, participated in the reconstruction and creation of the prosperity of the Homeland, preserving the honor of their school, where they were ‘baptized as builders’ for the first time.
By the RA Government decision No. 1577-N of 20 November, 2007, the Yerevan State Construction College after A. Tamanyan SNCO was reorganized and joined to “Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction” SNCO with the aim of pursuing the continuous education of the Bologna Agreement. By the RA Government decision N. 80 of 23 January, 2014, the College was renamed to Secondary Vocational Education College of the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia.
The College has always been and remains in the center of special attention of the NUACA Rectors. Thanks to Rectors H. V. Tokmajyan (2008-2014), G. Sh. Galstyan (2014-2019), Y. V. Vardanyan (2019-present), the reconstruction of the first building of the dormitory has been completed, the second building as well as the College auditoriums and bathrooms are being currently reconstructed, the problem of heating and a number of other vital problems have been solved, which allows to provide secondary vocational education in a more comfortable academic environment.
Deserved and young lecturers as well as experienced administrative employees work at the College, who spare no effort to provide the appropriate knowledge to students to be able to meet new life challenges, and be competitive in the labour market.
Graduates with excellent and good grades will have the opportunity to continue their education in the relevant field in the second year of the correspondence department of Bachelor’s Degree of NUACA. If they wish, they can continue their studies in Master’s Degree and postgraduate programs.
