FPEmpresa Hosts the Second Meeting of the SiT Project in Madrid
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FPEmpresa Hosts the Second Meeting of the SiT Project in Madrid

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa has hosted members of the SiT Project (Sustainability in TCLF) in Madrid on November 13 and 14 of 2024, for the second project meeting. The IES Leonardo Da Vinci, an FPEmpresa-affiliated VET center, has served as the venue for this European meeting, where attendees observed the work of students specializing in Textile, Clothing and Leather studies, as well as their workshops featuring dyeing and fiber production machinery. Elena Argudo, Project Director at the Association, has emphasized “the importance of hosting the visit at a member center with such a rich history and commitment to international initiatives as IES Leonardo Da Vinci.”

Progress Updates and Achievements

During the sessions, project partners have provided updates on various work packages and the current status of each. Specifically, it was announced that the project successfully has secured 147 organizations as signatories to the Knowledge Triangle Agreement, aiming to foster effective collaboration between educational institutions, businesses and research centers—a cornerstone of the SiT project.

Additionally, it was revealed that over 625 companies and 90 vocational training centers has participated in a survey to identify the skills gap and training needs of vocational students in the textile sector. The survey results has highlighted two emerging professions, which will be the focus of new training curricula within the project. These professions, Biotextiles Technician and Waste Manager, are projected to play a crucial role in driving the ecological transformation of the industry.

Next Steps in the SiT Project

A significant part of the program has focused on upcoming actions within the SiT project. This November marks the start of Work Package 3, which will focus on curriculum and module development, as well as the creation of a network for certification, validation, recognition and accreditation of the training programs. The goal of these materials is to implement a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) to enhance accessibility and impact within the textile sector. The MOOC is set to be developed throughout the coming year.

In addition, attendees has enjoyed an English-language tour of Madrid, led by VET students in Tourism Guidance, Information and Assistance from the Madrid School of Hospitality and Tourism as part of their practical training.

About the SiT Project

This initiative, coordinated by ITKAM – Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany, is part of the Erasmus+ funding program Alliance for Innovation and will run until January 31, 2027. The SiT project involves 15 partners from 8 European Union countries: Germany, Italy, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia and Slovakia.

The project’s objectives include promoting innovation in education, training and the textile, clothing, leather and footwear sectors. It focuses on the potential of the green transition and developing new training modules in educational institutions to address gaps in green skills.

FPEmpresa Participates in the 33rd EfVET Annual Conference
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FPEmpresa Participates in the 33rd EfVET Annual Conference

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa took part in the 33rd EfVET Annual Conference held in Amersfoort, Netherlands, from October 23 to 26. Titled “Training Generation Z: New Horizons for VET”, the event aimed to discuss ways to prepare young people for the job market and the new skills needed for future professions. Javier Serrano, FPEmpresa’s regional coordinator for Andalusia, IES La Zafra school’s teachers and EfVET treasurer, has stated that “the event is an important meeting point to build new networks, learn about projects being developed in other countries, and introduce new dynamics to national VET.”

More than 320 experts, educators, and international VET professionals gathered to explore how the next generation of students can prepare for the future job market. Serrano highlighted “the potential new generations bring to innovation”. “As digital natives exposed to international culture, they become highly proficient with digital tools”, has added.

Leerhotel Het Klooster, a hotel school run by VET students, served as the venue where attendees could share their ideas, projects, and experiences.

EfVET’s Vision for VET

Joachim James Calleja, president of EfVET, has emphasized in his opening speech the three key pillars for the future of VET. First, he stressed “the importance of focusing programs on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity, as Generation Z understands that these skills will be crucial for their career development”. He also has highlighted “the entrepreneurial spirit of this generation, which aspires to create its own businesses, making it essential for VET to foster management and innovation skills”.

Finally, Calleja has addressed “the relevance of global competence, promoting international exchanges, language learning, and intercultural skills for a generation increasingly aware of globalization”.

Development of the EfVET Annual Conference

The Annual Conference tackled the challenges of future jobs, skills, and qualifications, providing attendees and the VET ecosystem with concrete tools to successfully adapt to new educational and training realities.

Internationalization in VET, focusing on building strong local business networks; well-being in VET, emphasizing diversity, inclusion, and student engagement; and gender equality guidance, addressing inclusion issues, were some of the workshops in which EfVET members participated during the event. Additionally, innovative educational methodologies such as virtual reality and mobile-based learning were explored, giving participants hands-on experience in the digitalization of Vocational Training.

Among the different sessions, Laureen Rwatirera, Vice President of Organizational Development at ASML; Nick Jordan, Head of Learning at Vestas; and Chiara Rondino, Head of the European Commission’s Education and Vocational Training Unit participated as speakers.

2024 General Assembly

Alongside the Annual Conference, EfVET members attended the 2024 General Assembly, where the Strategic Plan through 2026, the annual activity report, the annual work plan, and the 2025 economic plan were presented by Javier Serrano of FPEmpresa’s Board of Directors.

One of EfVET’s main goals is to strengthen its representation in Europe, opening the possibility of international collaboration. Finally, all shared documents were approved by an absolute majority, allowing the Executive Board to continue working to address current challenges.

FPEmpresa Participates in the 9th Annual EAfA Seminar in Albania
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FPEmpresa Participates in the 9th Annual EAfA Seminar in Albania

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa has participated in the 9th Annual Seminar of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) and the European Training Foundation (ETF), in collaboration with the Albanian Ministry of Economy, Culture, and Innovation. The event took place on October 17-18 in Tirana, Albania, and was attended by FPEmpresa representative, Mª José Fernández, along with more than 80 participants to discuss the evaluation and training of apprentices. “These sessions have been essential for gathering representatives from the education and labor sectors, as well as addressing the new challenges and opportunities facing vocational training,” Fernández stated.

‘Apprentice Mentorship’ and ‘Adult Learning’ were the primary themes of the sessions. Policy updates, such as the participation of Olta Manjani, Albanian Minister of Economy, Culture, and Innovation, and examples of work-based learning in EAfA member countries offered a broad overview of current practices and challenges in these areas.

Among the interventions, Beatrice Biolcati from the European Commission welcomed Bosnia and Herzegovina and other new members to the EAfA. Additionally, thematic panels focused on the two main topics: the first covered mentoring modalities, tools, roles, and responsibilities of mentors, while the second addressed the potential of adult learning.

Different Spaces to Address Learning

As a new feature, this year’s seminar brought together diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, social agents, chambers of commerce, and educational institutions. All participants, from EAfA member and partner countries, had the opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices on vocational training and apprenticeships.

To incorporate different perspectives, the annual meeting included discussion panels with new and long-standing EAfA members. Fernández noted, “It’s interesting to receive the latest policy updates on apprenticeship training in other EU countries.” “Participants analyzed new teaching opportunities and shared opinions, allowing us to deepen and update our knowledge on these important topics for vocational training.”

Visits to Educational Centers in Tirana

Alongside the program presentations, the 9th Annual Seminar offered study visits to vocational training centers in Tirana, including the Economic Technical School of Tirana, the Gjergj Canco School, and the Hospitality and Tourism School of Tirana.

The visits to local technical schools provided firsthand insights into student practices, offering a closer look at Albania’s vocational training system.

Fernández noted the value of “gaining a close-up view of the work developed by schools, businesses, mentors, and students, as it allows for a greater understanding of their educational programs”.

FPEmpresa shares PRALINE results with its associates
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FPEmpresa shares PRALINE results with its associates

The Asociación de Centros de Formación Profesional FPEmpresa has held an online session to disseminate the results of the PRALINE project with its affiliated centers. Following the closing session in Rotterdam (Netherlands) in December 2023, FPEmpresa’s International Project Technician, Guillermo Gonzálbez, has led the meeting and has shared project materials with attendees on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. Gonzálbez has explained that “the Association is expanding more and more internationally. Proof of this is the projects and contacts being carried out in different countries, such as Thailand.”

Throughout the presentation, Elena Argudo, Project Director at FPEmpresa, has stated “the work of the European project strengthening transnational networks of Vocational Training through mutual learning, peer counseling, and capacity building”. This objective has been added to consolidating the EUproVET network, established in 2009, collaborating to support strategies that improve learning and education in participating countries.

Project Results

Over the 3-year course of PRALINE, various meetings were held to define 18 recommendations based on Good Practices, identified during Peer Learning Activities (PLA). The selected cities where results were collected include Valencia (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal), Dublin (Ireland), Tallinn (Estonia), La Rochelle (France), Helsinki (Finland), Zagreb (Croatia), and Rotterdam (Netherlands).

These recommendations, conveyed in FPEmpresa’s dissemination, aim to align with different national, regional, and institutional circumstances. Similarly, they promote continuous learning for all European citizens and contribute to building an inclusive society.

The presented results include:

Learning opportunities
  1. Ensure that all students, independent of socio-economic background, have access to quality education and training in order to provide them with the necessary skills, in particular those required by the digital and green transition. Less common approaches to reach out to the ‘hard to get’ target groups might be fruitful.
  2. There is a need to be more innovative in delivery models for adult education, creating flexible models for personalised learning paths including the recognition of prior learning and work experience. This should be reflected in a choice of access to learners – face-to-face, online or a mix of both.
  3. Ensure that salary goes on during study leave. This must be regulated through law with a requirement for employers to comply.
Labour market and other stakeholders
  1. Ensure a stronger link between educational institutions and the demands of the labour market in order to increase the responsiveness of education and training systems to meet the needs of learners and the rapid changes in the labour market and society as well as enable smooth transitions.
  2. Advocate and support flexible and adequate work-based learning opportunities for adults as an important step in occupational progression for every individual.
  3. Encourage and promote stronger cooperation in public-private partnerships to make lifelong learning a reality for every individual.The importance of these partnerships was again underlined during the Covid-19 pandemic, when work disappeared in certain sectors, but arose in others The crucial role of VET/adult education providers in supporting SMEs with business innovation, productivity, and product development deserves more recognition.
  4. Promote Vocational and Educational Training courses and other forms of lifelong learning as a means of integrating migrants and refugees in their host countries and leading them to the labour market.
  5. Facilitate strong sectoral dialogue (providers, authorities, social partners) and meaningful, sustainable cooperation in education and training by fostering peer learning among European, national, and regional/local partners in education and training.
Quality, VET providers and teachers
  1. Improve the quality of adult learning- and VET institutions to enhance good learning environments for students and supportive work environments for teachers, trainers, school leaders and other education personnel in relation to digital and green transition of VET institutions and in light of the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
  2. Adult education programs that support wellbeing, mental health and integration of mentally or physically challenged people should be a shared responsibility of providers and stakeholder services.
  3. Increase attractiveness of the profession of adult learning educators, VET trainers and other education personnel by improving recruitment processes and ensuring their retention, decent and challenging working conditions and stable employment.
  4. Ensure that adult educators receive training on adult education that includes topics such as: principles of adult education (andragogy), adults’ motivational orientations, adults’ reasons to withdraw from training/education, use of materials in adult education, psychological counselling and guidance applications in Adult Education. Ensure also that the training will be systematically repeated.
  5. Encourage and support the continuous professional development of teachers, trainers, school leaders, supported by necessary reforms in consultation with social partners, governments and other relevant stakeholders, in order to provide skills that co-align with the needs of the labour market and are accessible to all.
Status
  1. The profile of VET/adult education needs raising at government level. Too many people are taking a path through to university and then end up coming back to the VET system to retrain. This is an unwise use of public funds. The Covid pandemic and global conflict has shown that the VET/adult education sector is extremely resilient. Governments should build on this and support growth.
  2. There is a need to consider both the social value as well as the economic value of adult education. Governments should consider the importance of both. Leisure or social adult programmes can be a first stepping stone back into education and training for hard-to-reach adults.
Finances
  1. If a variety of learning access is offered, i.e., hybrid learning, to increase adult participation, then infrastructure and technology needs to be in place and the funding to cover this. Ensure also that the funding system encourages more effectiveness and transparency of learning rights and opportunities.
  2. Invest in supportive learning cultures for lifelong learning, in schools and companies. Combining younger and older learners contributes to a supportive learning culture and makes provision financially viable.
  3. Covid has resulted in better sharing of resources and learning materials. A move towards collaborative working between providers and teachers should be positively encouraged.

Finally, the Association has shared the PRALINE website and FPEmpresa’s website on the project, as well as resources developed during the initiative such as the study on “Adult Learning in Europe” or the informational brochure on PRALINE.

Promoting Adult Learning in Networks (PRALINE)

After being introduced in February 2020, the Promoting Adult Learning in Networks (PRALINE) project was approved in 2021, specifically under Key Action 3: Support for policy reform, and within this, in the sub-action ‘social inclusion and common values: contribution in the field of education and training.’ A project that has involved the participation of 11 partner organizations from 10 different countries and has been coordinated by the Dutch association MBO Raad.

Access the recorded session at this link.

FPEmpresa’s Board of Directors starts to prepare the VIII VET Congress
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FPEmpresa’s Board of Directors starts to prepare the VIII VET Congress

FPEmpresa VET Schools Association has celebrated the first meeting of the new Board of Directors in Santander. The new members were selected in the General Assembly 2022 of the last month of June. They have been working in their Strategic Plan 2022/2025 and have started to prepare the next Congress. Apart, they have visited the associated center ‘CIFP La Granja de Heras’.

The VIII Congress of the Association will be celebrated in San Sebastián the 26th and 27th of October. An event that will join the associated centers of FPEmpresa and organized with CaixaBank Dualiza, main strategic ally of the Association. Also, this congress will focus on the VET centers of the future and will mark the tenth anniversary of FPEmpresa.

Visit to ‘CIFP La Granja de Heras’

The second day of the meeting has taken place in the center ‘CIFP La Granja de Heras’, whose director is Sergio Silva, FPEmpresa’s coordinator in Cantabria. The center offers education cycles of the Agrarian Professional Family and works with more than 50 companies of the sector. Furthermore, it belongs to Agrocantabria.

During the activity, the visitors have covered the CIFP’s facilities, that has 70 hectares with different uses. Likewise, the managers of the institution have talked of some of the programs, like ‘Friesian goat’s recovery’. In addition, the center is leader in floral art and participates with an association created by the student body to promote the employment in the territory.

“Gather the coordinators of other areas in Cantabria boosts the VET of the community and shows our educative reality”, explains Silva regarding to the meeting of the Board of Directors and the visit. “We feel supported celebrating this event in a small community as ours”, adds.

Apart of the CIFP La Granja, there are other five associated centers to FPEmpresa in Cantabria: IES Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, in Guarnizo; IES Lope de Vega, in Santa María de Cayón; IES Alisal, in Santander; IES Valle de Camargo, in Revilla de Camargo, and CIFP Nº1 of Santander.

The secondary school Puerta Bonita participates in the fourth mobility of “Creative Skills 21” in St. Gallen
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The secondary school Puerta Bonita participates in the fourth mobility of “Creative Skills 21” in St. Gallen

The Erasmus+ KA202 project, in which the secondary school Puerta Bonita (center associated with the FPEmpresa VET Schools Association) is a participant, has held its fourth mobility in St. Gallen (Switzerland). An initiative carried out from May 16 to 20 under the title “Creative Skills 21. Improving teaching and learning of 21st century skills for the creative industry”. The project arises with the aim of providing the participating teachers with tools to work “competences for the 21st century” with their students.

Throughout the project, the students have worked with a problem associated with the UN 2030 Agenda on which they have developed a communicative solution to raise awareness and have prototyped it. To do this, they have worked in multinational and interdisciplinary groups guided by two teachers.

Creative Skills 21 between Madrid and St. Gallen

In order to create a time frame that would achieve the objectives, the mobilities have been grouped by pairs of countries. The first mobility organized in Madrid has suggested the problem to the students, who have analyzed it and, consequently, have outlined the objective and recipient of the message, as well as a solid idea. However, in the second mobility, the idea has been prototyped and presented to experts in the field.

Gender inequality related to access to education and social exclusion was the topic proposed at the first meeting. With that idea, the groups have been able to work in St. Gallen.

On the other hand, the teachers have received training in the 21st century skills “collaborative work”, “problem solving” and “the blended learning methodology”.

“Creative Skills 21” has worked with a group of 50 people from 7 Vocational Training centers in Rotterdam, Ghent, Newcastle, St. Gallen, northern Italy, Jyvaskyla, Lisbon and Madrid. An initiative that has allowed members to create a great network of contacts while they have known the Spanish capital and the Swiss capital of the San Galo district.

You can learn about the extraordinary products made by the student groups, from applications for mobile devices to external marketing actions, on the website www.cs-21.eu and the Instagram profile @creative_skills21

The secondary school Puerta Bonita participates in the DOCE project together with 7 European centers
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The secondary school Puerta Bonita participates in the DOCE project together with 7 European centers

The secondary school Puerta Bonita, a center associated with the FPEmpresa VET Schools Association, has participated in the Erasmus+ KA226 project entitled Digital Online Creativity Education (DOCE). An initiative that arises from the difficulties in the teaching process that arose during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic and in which new strategies have been designed to deal with online learning. In addition, the DOCE project has been coordinated by the Grafisch Lyceum in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and the secondary school Puerta Bonita has participated together with high schools in the European cities of Jyväskyla (Finland), Newcastle (United Kingdom), Lisbon (Portugal), Ghent ( Belgium), Sankt Gallen (Switzerland) and Verona (Italy).

The Erasmus+ DOCE project has helped teachers to share their own experiences on how they have taught lessons during confinement. A process in which not only theoretical sessions have been organized, but also practical ones telematically. “This exchange of ideas and proposals has allowed all of them to increase their technological and educational updating through the different activities,” said Raúl Martínez, head of studies at the secondary school Puerta Bonita.

This dynamic has contributed to the increase in the collaboration and commitment of the participating institutions through the practice of investigating and exchanging new ways of dealing with digital learning. Likewise, different telematic meetings and one face-to-face meeting have been held in the city of Verona (Italy).

On the other hand, the participating secondary schools and their teachers have established a better contact with the new reality of online learning, creativity and digitization in the field of media and design.

In conclusion, the DOCE project has been an opportunity to transfer knowledge and take advantage of synergies in the development of digital content as prototypes that can be used by other teachers and schools.

FPEmpresa and Group Esprinet to deliver the I VET Knowledge’s Transfer Awards
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FPEmpresa and Group Esprinet to deliver the I VET Knowledge’s Transfer Awards

FPEmpresa VET Schools Association and Group Esprinet have delivered the VET Knowledge’s Transfer Awards in an event that has taken place in IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente, associated center to FPEmpresa. A meeting celebrated the Wednesday, 29th June, where the high schools IES Pedro de Tolosa, IES Alonso de Madrigal and IES Centro de Capacitación Agraria have picked up their prizes.

“I want to congratulate to all of you for the quality of the ideas presented, the knowledge to encourage the role of the women and for reflect the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)”, has explained Silvia Sánchez, Marketing and Communication of the Group Esprinet.

Tomás Alonso, vicepresident treasurer of FPEmpresa, has joined in the event and has shown gratitude to the technological for recognize VET in this great project.

The winners to promote the participation in the contest

The winning associated centers of the VET Knowledge’s Transfer Awards have appreciated the contest. Between them, José María Pérez, IES Alonso de Madrigal’s teacher, has presented that “to create the group, I have selected students from different VET groups”. This has been due to the need of women in studies as Information Technology or Communications, reason why Pérez wants that his participation in the contest encourage more women the next years.

By their hand, Verónica Crespo and Mar López, teachers of IES Pedro de Tolosa and IES Centro de Capacitación Agraria, have focused on the teamwork done, just like the confidence generated after the Awards.

Finally, the participants have visited IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente, where they have known some projects of the students and the facilities the center has like their Garage Lab.

FPEmpresa and Group Esprinet signed an agreement the last month of February to promote the VET female talent. A collaboration that has developed actions to have an impact on educative system as the session of Marketing and the VET Knowledge’s Transfer Awards, where more than a 50% of the participants had been women.

FPEmpresa obtains bronze medal in Awards of Excellence 2022 with SCoopConSS
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FPEmpresa obtains bronze medal in Awards of Excellence 2022 with SCoopConSS

FPEmpresa VET Schools Association has received the third prize in the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ category of the Awards of Excellence 2022 for the European projects SCoopConSS. A recognition delivered by the World Federation of Colleges and Polythecnics (WFCP) in the closing of the world congress 2022 in Donostia-San Sebastián. The people in charge to gather up the prize have been the president of the Association, Luis García, and the vice president treasurer, Tomás Alonso.

Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan) has finished in first place of the category. The second has been for Centro de Formación Somorrostro, associated center of FPEmpresa, followed for the Association with the bronze medal. Finally, the organization has recognized to Harare Polythecnic with an honorable mention.

The different categories of the Awards of Excellence 2022 have been: Applied Research and Innovation’; ‘Construction’; ‘Sustainable Development Goals’; ‘Cyber and Data Security’; ‘Teacher Professional Development’; ‘Global Citizenship’; ‘Leadershhip in Diversity and Inclusion’; ‘Indigenous Education’; ‘Lifetime Achievement’; ‘Strategic Leadership’; ‘Outstanding Educator’; and ‘Outstanding Student Achievement’.

SCoopConSS

ScoopConSS project (Social Cooperative Contest for Secondary Schools) is a European initiative where FPEmpresa and other six organizations work together: Camera Commercio Italiana per la Spagna; aCapo Società Cooperativa Sociale Integrata; EGInA Srl.; AKETH-DCT (Developmental Centre of Thessaly); Portuguese Association of Startups (APSU); and Centre of Technical Culture Rijeka.

An initiative that has taken to the associated center, EFA La Malvesía, to participate in an international contest celebrated in the National Festival of Civil Economy of Florence. In addition, SCoopConSS is financed by the European Union in the framework of the Horizon2020 funds.

Furthermore, SCoopConSS objective has been to build a Practice Community for European secondary teachers interested to boost their experience by different method business. For that, the initiative has taken advantage of the cooperative principles of self-help, responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.

Associated centers of FPEmpresa to promote VET mobilities to Canada
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Associated centers of FPEmpresa to promote VET mobilities to Canada

The VET School Association FPEmpresa has had a meeting with a directors’ delegation of center belonging to the Colleges & Institutes of Canada (CICan) in the Canadian Embassy in Spain. An encounter celebrated the last Monday, 13th June, where associated centers to FPEmpresa and VET Canadian centers have participated with the aim to know the Vocational Education and Training in both countries. In that way, this first physical meeting between Spain and Canada has allowed to develop strategic alliances in relation to VET. In addition, Tomás Alonso, vice president treasurer of the Association, has been the person in charge of present FPEmpresa to the Canadian directors.

The Association and CICan have realized this encounter with the purpose to open borders between both countries and create new experiences to the VET students. A meeting where the members and the Canadian centers have created new bonds through a B2B Session. The participants have thought in future mobilities between both delegations.

By other hand, the FPEmpresa’s vice president has provide the IES Francisco Tomás y Valiente center to the visitant delegation. There they have known the Spanish educative system and the projects of the center closer. Also, the Canadian people has participated in a virtual reality demonstration in the high school IES Clara del Rey.

FPEmpresa put faith in the internationalization and the strong confidence in the supranational organizations as EfVET, on a European level, and WFCP (World Federation Of Colleges And Polytechnics), on a global level, belonging to both as member.