The member countries of the European Union have begun to implement educational laws that adapt vocational training to the new guidelines in order to achieve the objectives proposed by Europe. The European Commission has made vocational training a cornerstone of the common policy. In this regard, the Committee on the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund Plus in Council Recommendation 2020/C417/01 specifies that it seeks to “ensure better matching of education and training systems to the labour market and equal access to lifelong learning opportunities for all, through upskilling and retraining pathways.”
THE NEW VOCATIONAL TRAINING MODEL IN SPAIN
In 2022, the new Organic Law 3/2022, of 31 March, on the organisation and integration of Vocational Training for the modernisation of Vocational Training in Spain was approved with the aim of improving standards and making VET more attractive to young people. All this, through the introduction of flexible learning pathways, as well as the updating and development of new educational programs that meet the demands of the future of the labor market. The new VET model seeks to ensure learning opportunities for all with a unified, flexible and easily accessible system.
Main features of the new VET model
It defines and regulates training offers.
All vocational training will have a dual character.
It promotes the accreditation of competences acquired through work experience, as well as through non-formal channels.
It creates and regulates the vocational guidance system linked to VET.
It integrates innovation, research, digitalization, sustainability and entrepreneurship into VET.
It promotes and incorporates the internationalization of Vocational Training.
It strengthens the collective responsibility between educational centers and companies in training.
It intensifies the link between Vocational Training and University.
THE DUAL CHARACTER
With the new law, the entire training offer will have a dual character. That is, the training cycles will combine the stay in the educational center with compulsory internships in companies. During the period in the company, the students, who will have both a tutor from the company and the educational center, will acquire professional skills from their training cycle, become familiar with the work environment and acquire key skills for access to the labor market. As for access to training in the company, it will be necessary to be at the age of 16 and have completed and passed training in occupational risk prevention.
Depending on the characteristics of the training period in the company (duration, significance of the training and status of the trainee), the dual character will have two intensities:
GENERAL DUAL CHARACTER
With general dual vocational training, they will have an internship period in a company equal to 25% (500 hours) of the total duration of your training course. The in-company training will be carried out in two periods:
The first year will last a minimum of 120 hours and a maximum of 240 hours. It will preferably take place between March and June.
The second year will last a minimum of 260 hours and a maximum of 380 hours. It will preferably take place between January and March.
They will work 35 hours per week to complete these courses.
INTENSIVE DUAL CHARACTER
With the intensive dual vocational training program, they will have an in-company training period equal to 35% (700 hours) of the total duration of your training course. The in-company training will be conducted in two periods:
The first year will last 335 hours.
The second year will last 365 hours.
They will work 35 hours per week to complete these courses. In this case, the educational institution will organize the in-company training periods based on availability.
MODULAR EDUCATIONAL OFFER
The new Law establishes a flexible and modular offer divided into 5 ascending grades, in which there will be offers linked to 3 levels. In this way, students will have the possibility to configure their own itinerary. The first three grades (A, B, C) are aimed at those who have work experience in a certain sector, but do not have any qualification that accredits it.
GRADE A
This degree includes the most basic training offers that allow you to obtain a partial accreditation of a competence of a professional module (A professional module is each of the subjects of the training cycle). To access this degree you do not have to meet any academic or professional requirements.
GRADE B
With this degree you can obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence. Like Grade A, it has no academic or professional requirements. You will be able to obtain this certificate by passing the training or obtaining all the corresponding partial accreditations of competence of GRADE A.
GRADE C
This degree allows them to obtain the Professional Certificate through the training of several professional modules. They can obtain this certificate by completing the training of a professional module or by obtaining all the corresponding Grade B certificates. In addition, the courses of this degree will include a period of in-company training.
GRADE D
This degree includes the Basic, Intermediate and Higher Level Training Cycles that already existed. These cycles will last 2 or 3 years, depending on the cycle. During this time they will carry out a training period in the company.
The BASIC LEVEL TRAINING CYCLES will have training in the field of communication and social sciences, applied sciences, professional fields and an annual collaborative project. These cycles will last for 2 years. During this time, only in specific cases will there be in-company training.
The INTERMEDIATE AND HIGHER LEVEL TRAINING CYCLES will have a modular offer that will include a compulsory core part, an optional part and an annual or biannual project that you must defend before the teachers and the company’s tutor (if required).
GRADE E
This degree includes specialization courses that allow you to specialize in a specific field of the Vocational Training sector that you have taken and passed. They will last between 300 and 900 hours. In the event that you successfully complete and pass an Intermediate Level specialization course, you will obtain the title of Specialist of the corresponding profile. In the case of the Higher Degree, you will obtain a Master’s Degree in Vocational Training .