In the coming years, one in four employment opportunities will be for people trained in some specialty and degree of Vocational Training, especially in Construction and Services. The replacement of the baby-boom generation in the workforce of some sectors and the adaptation of VET to new demands, such as climate change management, the energy transition, digitalization and care for the elderly, will mean that people trained in different branches of vocational training have greater options for finding work.
Furthermore, vocational training is a tool to face challenges of a social nature, such as the risk of poverty or social exclusion, which occur mainly in the population with a low educational level or who leave school early. Having VET studies is an advantage when it comes to finding employment compared to those people with a lower level of training.
The transition to the labor market is favored by the Dual FP, which changes from the 2024-2025 academic year and whose new educational model will have to be applied by all training centers.
From now on, all Vocational Training is integrated into a single dual system. The students will alternate their training between educational centers and companies, which will be jointly responsible for education from the first year. To do this, companies will assume a percentage of the learning results. Specifically, the dual modality will be taught on a general basis, where the company assumes a training load of 20% in basic training cycles, between 25 and 35% in intermediate and higher degree cycles, and intensive dual modality where the company assumes 35 to 50% of the training. The student will receive compensation through a scholarship or contract, with the contract being mandatory starting in 2029. The dual hours will be part of the teaching schedule.
In addition, the training offer of the centers changes to make it more flexible and combinable, and grades A, B, C, D and E are now taught, which will allow the different training cycles to be studied in parts, flexible and cumulative, and which will offer different accreditations. Grade A: partial accreditation of competence; grade B: certificate of competency; grade C: professional certificate; grade D: training cycle (Basic, Middle and Higher grade) and grade E: specialization course. At the same time, the new system recognizes the skills acquired from work experience, making it easier to advance through them in the different degrees.
It also brings new training modules, such as the final project module for all levels of the cycles. In addition, D grade students from Intermediate and Higher degree cycles will study professional English, sustainability and digitalization of productive sectors. A new module appears called Personal Itinerary for Employability, which is developed in the first and second years and is configured as a module that aims to develop a process of work and personal orientation.
The model also incorporates new figures to enhance guidance and innovation, includes more collaborating teachers and will promote double degrees in Vocational Training.