[en] Hands-on training with critical or subcritical assemblies is recommended in standards as a part of training and qualification for criticality safety engineers. It is supported by argumentation that it can provide better understanding of the factors that contribute to criticality safety. To develop the idea the paper shows the example of the VR-1 training reactor operated by the Czech Technical University in Prague, and describes its education and training capabilities and activities. It relates them to the perspective of criticality safety. (author)