Positron 2025 Youth Festival in the electrical sector

Situation Overview

For at least a decade, growing concern has been expressed in Estonia that young people are not interested in studying engineering or acquiring technical vocational skills. In the critical field of electricity, thousands of new specialists will be needed over the next ten years. Electrification is accelerating across transport, heating, and the modernization of power grids, while the shortage of qualified workforce continues to deepen. Therefore, it became necessary to find a new and engaging way to spark young people’s

interest in the electrical sector.

Objectives

• To generate interest among young people in technical vocational education and engineering studies.
• To significantly increase the number of applicants to electrical specialties and help address the sector’s workforce shortage.
• To engage young people through an inspiring edutainment youth festival.
• Within two years of operation, the Positron Youth Festival had become a real success story that required broader public communication.
• To attract as many young people aged 14–24 as possible to attend the Positron 2025 festival, taking place on 17–18 October at Unibet Arena.

Communication Strategy

• Communication with schools and teachers had already been established by the Positron team as a separate stream.
• The festival programme was led by electrical engineering students who themselves work in the sector and understand how to engage young audiences.
• Public communication activities focused on the shortage of future talent in the electrical sector as a critical challenge, as well as on inspiring young people to pursue careers in technology and engineering.
• Teachers were encouraged through various media messages to bring their classes to Positron.
• Parents were encouraged to send their children to the festival.
• Interest was generated both in the topic and in the event itself.
• Pre-event communication included opinion articles and interviews in Postimees, Maaleht, Delfi Ärileht, Äripäev, regional newspapers, and radio programmes.
• Interviews in Maaleht and regional newspapers featured outstanding physics teachers and youth coordinators discussing how to spark young people’s interest in technical vocational education and engineering studies.
• In early October, intensive communication began with press releases highlighting the success of Positron.
• The topic was brought into TV and radio programmes, including Kanal 2’s “Õhtu” special programme, KUKU’s “Huvitaja”, “Vikerhommik”, and Äripäev Radio.

Implementation

• Positron took place on 17–18 October 2025.
• Direct communication with schools and young people had already begun in 2023 with the first Positron event.
• Activities targeting schools were carried out consistently throughout the year.
• Public communication planning and implementation took place between 1 September and 20 October 2025.
• Positron received over 30 media mentions across TV and radio programmes, national and regional newspapers, and online news portals.

Results and Impact

• Positron is an ongoing movement. The groundwork and pre-communication from previous years delivered record results in admissions.
• According to the Education Statistics Portal Haridussilm, the number of applicants to electrical specialties increased by 40%.
• The total number of students has increased by one third.
• Positron received the “Education Act of the Year” award.
• Positron was nominated for the Tallinn Entrepreneurship Awards in the category of Collaboration Project of the Year.
• The project demonstrated that the electrical sector can be made attractive to young people through playful and hands-on activities.
• Positron has created a new model in Estonia for promoting technical education.
• Positron 2025 attracted over 10,000 young visitors.
• More than half of the visitors attended with their classes from both general education and vocational schools.
• In many schools, Positron has become a natural part of the curriculum.