FPEmpresa meets with ENNE+ members in Italy for SHU 2025
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FPEmpresa meets with ENNE+ members in Italy for SHU 2025

On July 3rd and 4th, the Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa joined the partners of the European project ENNE+ in Spello, Italy, due to the Social Hackathon Umbria 2025 (SHU 2025) event. Throughout these two days, ENNE+ members from Austria, Portugal, Spain, and Italy discussed matters related to the upcoming Eco-Digithon, which will take place in 2026. The participants shared their respective countries’ participation results and addressed organizational issues concerning the project’s agenda for the coming year, establishing key factors to consider.

A significant portion of the discussions focused on enhancing the experience of participants in the competition and implementing new tools within the ENNE+ Community of Practice (CoP), an educational resource platform that already boasts over 1,300 active users. As a result, various action strategies were defined to strengthen the competition, communication, and follow-up for each project during the social incubation process. Feedback from members and users was essential in identifying relevant parameters to shape and reinforce the project’s development lines.

Social Hackathon Umbria 2025

The ENNE+ meeting took place as the town of Spello hosted SHU 2025, organized by EGInA. As part of this event, activities related to art, technology, sustainability, and innovation were held. The goal of these sessions was to promote young people’s digital skills and foster the co-creation of innovative digital solutions that can generate social impact and support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

The winning teams from each Eco-Digithon had the opportunity to present their projects to an international audience. Representing Spain, the team from IES Sierra la Calera attended with their project MuéveteX, a proposal aimed at improving mobility and connectivity in rural areas through a collaborative transportation app, supported by the Santa Marta de los Barros City Council. Additionally, the program enabled them to develop an independent project with the help of students from around the world.

FPEmpresa and Grupo Esprinet announce the winners of the 4th edition of the Premios Transferencia de Conocimiento de la FP
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FPEmpresa and Grupo Esprinet announce the winners of the 4th edition of the Premios Transferencia de Conocimiento de la FP

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa and Grupo Esprinet have announced the winners of the 4th edition of the Premios Transferencia de Conocimiento de la FP, a competition aimed at recognizing and promoting female talent within professional fields with lower female representation. This edition ran from February to May 2025 and received over 30 proposals from FPEmpresa-affiliated centres, whose videos have already accumulated more than 42,000 views and 13,000 likes on YouTube.

The winning teams received a first prize of €5,000, a second prize of €3,300, and two third prizes of €1,850 each, to be distributed among the school, the teacher, and the students. The winners of the fourth edition were:

Once again, FPEmpresa and Grupo Esprinet present these awards as part of their ongoing commitment to addressing the societal challenges tackled by Vocational Education. Thanks to the collective efforts of all participating centres to acknowledge and tackle the barriers faced by women, the goal of gender equality is becoming increasingly attainable.

Projects addressing female underrepresentation, chemical submission, and unemployment among women with disabilities

The jury assessed both technical and transversal aspects of the projects. These included: the proposed solution, its planning, required materials and resources, impact on the SDGs, reproducibility, critical thinking, innovation, teamwork, and the inclusion of women in STEAM disciplines.

CIFP Marítimo Zaporito, from the Maritime-Fishing professional field, won the first prize by addressing the underrepresentation of women in this sector. The centre proposed two solutions: to increase the current 16% female workforce in the sector, they developed a software application to act as a tool and networking hub for companies, educational centres, and professionals. Additionally, to prevent unsafe situations, they designed a bracelet with connectivity and geolocation features.

In second place was IES Miguel Herrero Pereda, which focused on chemical submission—a growing form of sexual assault. According to Spain’s National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences (INTCF), one in three sexual assaults involves the use of some type of psychotropic substance. In response, the school proposed a compact adhesive device that attaches to a mobile phone case and contains color-indicator strips to detect chemical submission substances in drinks.

The two third prizes were awarded to CIPFP Canastell and IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente. The former addressed the high unemployment rate among women with disabilities and the challenges they face in mobility. Their solution was to design a prototype of an electric microcar with a ramp and support systems for safe driving. The latter focused on increasing girls’ representation in tech careers by creating tech toys designed to spark their interest from an early age, offering more early stimuli and role models.

Success of the 1st Eco-Digithon in Spain: Youth, Businesses, and Education Drive Innovation in Dual Vocational Training
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Success of the 1st Eco-Digithon in Spain: Youth, Businesses, and Education Drive Innovation in Dual Vocational Training

On April 25th, Badajoz hosted Spain’s first-ever ECO-DIGITHON, a pioneering event organized by FPEmpresa and Innogestiona Ambiental under the umbrella of the ENNE+ (Erasmus+) European project. The event exceeded all expectations in terms of participation and results, establishing itself as a space for collaboration and innovation among Vocational Education and Training students, businesses, public administration, and educational institutions.

“We wanted to create an inspiring space to connect innovation, sustainability, and vocational training—and we have more than achieved that,” the organizers emphasized.

This initiative, co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program, has promoted youth creativity and strengthened collaboration networks to build a more dynamic, innovative, Vocational Education and Training, aligned with the environmental and occupational challenges.

Team Rankings and Award Ceremony

After an intense day of collaborative work, the participating teams exposed innovative proposals that were assessed based on feasibility, sustainability impact, and digitalization level.

The jury’s decision was especially difficult due to the high quality of the proposals submitted in this edition of the Eco-Digithon. The evaluation panel, made up of Patricia Mora (Director of Innogestiona Ambiental), Elena Argudo (Director of FPEmpresa), Daniel Villa (Technical Advisor for Teaching at the Vocational Training Service of the General Directorate of Vocational Training, Innovation and Educational Inclusion of the Junta de Extremadura), and Carolina Romero (Project Technician at Fundecyt-PCTEX), carefully evaluated factors such as innovation, social impact, and project viability.

The jury announced its verdict virtually on April 28th, and although the competition was tight, Muévetex (IES Sierra La Calera) received the first prize thanks to an innovative digital platform designed to improve sustainable mobility in rural areas—tackling one of the region’s major connectivity challenges. The jury highlighted the project’s strong connection to real community needs, high social impact, and immediate applicability, which earned it the top spot in this edition of the Eco-Digithon. As a reward, the winning team will participate in the 9th Social Hackathon Umbria in Italy this July and will receive €1,000 in equipment and a €250 gift card for the coordinating teacher(s) and community representative.

Another three schools were also awarded for their proposals. The final clasification has been as follows:

 Rank Team Project School Award
🥇 1st Team 8 Muévetex: Digital platform to improve access to rural transport IES Sierra La Calera Participation in the 9th Social Hackathon Umbria (Italy, July 2025)
€1,000 in materials for the school
€250 gift card for coordinating teacher(s) and community representative
🥈 2nd Team 5 Little Big Friends: Connecting the elderly with the young IES Francisco de Orellana €750 in materials for the school
🥉 3rd Team 10 Sustainable garden made with recycled materials and low water consumption IES Javier García Téllez €500 in materials for the school
4th Team 9 Sustainable urban transport: Monitoring freight vehicles IES Ágora €300 in materials for the school

Note: To view the remaining projects, you can do so here.

Roundtable: Dual Vocational Training as a Driver of Employability

As part of the ECO-DIGITHON program, a roundtable discussion on Dual Vocational Education and Training was held, bringing together prominent figures from public administration, the business sector, and education to discuss the challenges and opportunities of Dual VET in Extremadura. During the session, participants addressed key issues in the education sector and shared potential solutions and strategies for tackling today’s challenges.

Key Participants:

  • Pedro Antonio Pérez Durán – Director General of Vocational Training, Innovation, and Educational Inclusion, Junta de Extremadura.

  • Juan Carlos Castaño Carpintero – Training Director, Cámara de Comercio de Cáceres.

  • Pilar Apolo – Regional Coordinator for FPEmpresa in Extremadura.

  • Moderator: Patricia Mora, Director of Innogestiona Ambiental.

During the debate, the strategic role of Dual Vocational Education and Training in boosting youth employability and aligning education with real labor market needs was highlighted. Participants also presented the main updates introduced by the Ley orgánica 3/2022, which has transformed the vocational training system in Spain. The new structure is organized into five progressive levels (A to E), offering a more flexible and adaptable model. This framework enables students to move from micro-credentials to high-level specialization courses equivalent to a master’s degree, creating more personalized and relevant learning pathways tailored to professional demands.

FPEmpresa Reaches 700 Member Centres
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FPEmpresa Reaches 700 Member Centres

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa, has reached a total of 700 member centres after 13 years of activity. Founded in 2012, FPEmpresa now forms a network of educational centres with representation in all Spanish Autonomous Communities, with the aim of promoting Vocational Education and Training (VET). Over the years, the Association’s activities and partnerships have increased, establishing close relationships with various companies and public entities, and becoming part of international organizations such as EfVET and WFCP. These alliances strengthen FPEmpresa’s commitment to advancing VET, fostering collaboration, and encouraging the exchange of experiences and best practices.

“It is a source of pride for all of us to have reached 700 member centres,” said Luis García, President of the Association. “For an organization like ours, whose goal is to position VET as a first-choice pathway, it’s very important that our voice is supported by an ever-growing number of centres,” he stated. He also emphasized that “with this number of affiliated centres, our relevance as drivers and spokespersons for VET becomes clear, along with the shared belief in the importance of working together to go further.”

With this growth, FPEmpresa has consolidated itself as a meeting point for VET centres, companies, and students, and was awarded the Placa de Honor de la Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio in 2019 by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

Activities and Initiatives to Promote VET

The growth in membership can largely be attributed to the wide variety of activities and initiatives in which the Association actively participates. Among these are calls for innovation projects and VET-oriented initiatives launched in collaboration with CaixaBank Dualiza. This year, the 7th edition of the Ayudas Dualiza has allocated over €400,000 to educational centres. Similarly, Dualiza Orienta has developed workshops, experiences, and activities that encourage creativity and promote the opportunities offered by vocational training.

In partnership with Grupo Esprinet, FPEmpresa also runs the Premios Transferencia de Conocimiento, which highlight female talent in VET programs where women are underrepresented. The Association also delivers training on sustainability in collaboration with Innogestiona, and fosters collaboration among centres through the ‘Escuelas que Inspiran’ project with Fundación Exe. Additionally, FPEmpresa is part of Alianza por la FP, an initiative promoted by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to strengthen the network of shared responsibility and support the transformation of vocational education.

Currently, FPEmpresa is organizing the 11th VET Congress, held in Cartagena under the theme “Sharing Experiences: The Implementation of the New VET Law.” Since 2014, this event has gathered more and more professionals and educators from across the country to discuss the most relevant issues in the sector.

Record Attendance at the 11th VET Congress by FPEmpresa in Cartagena
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Record Attendance at the 11th VET Congress by FPEmpresa in Cartagena

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional, FPEmpresa, and CaixaBank Dualiza, in collaboration with the Región de Murcia and the City Council of Cartagena and with the participation of the Fundación Orange, brought together more than 1,300 teachers and education professionals at the 11th VET Congress “Sharing Experiences: The Implementation of the New VET Law.” Held on April 3rd and 4th at the Auditorio El Batel in Cartagena, the event marked a record attendance for the Association, which is now firmly established as a benchmark in the educational community, with 700 member centres across Spain.

The event was inaugurated by Luis García, President of FPEmpresa, and Paula San Luis, Director of CaixaBank Dualiza, as well as Esther Monterrubio, Secretary of Vocational Training at the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, Noelia Arroyo, Mayor of Cartagena, and Víctor Javier Marín, Minister of Education and Vocational Training of the Region of Murcia. Their speeches served as a welcome to the attendees, who were then able to enjoy panel discussions on the new legislation, challenges in the education sector, and the implementation of sustainability and digitalization modules. Attendees also had the opportunity to visit VET centres and companies in the region. Furthermore, the Congress hosted 23 exhibiting companies with informational stands offering new programs and innovative resources for interested participants.

The event concluded with the announcement of the next VET Congress, which will be held in Cantabria. A video message from the Mayor of Santander, Gema Igual Ortiz, was shown to share the news. Finally, Sergio Silva, Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Universities of Cantabria, commented on the current moment full of challenges in vocational training: “We are overcoming all these challenges because we are addressing them, tackling them, and we will continue to overcome them collaboratively.” In the closing remarks of the 11th VET Congress, the minister emphasized the importance of collaborative work and how FPEmpresa “represents a way of working, of opening up to others, of sharing experiences and learning from the strengths of others.”