FPEmpresa and Esprinet Group renew agreement to reward the best proposals for knowledge transfer in VET
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FPEmpresa and Esprinet Group renew agreement to reward the best proposals for knowledge transfer in VET

The Association of Vocational Training Centres FPEmpresa, which currently represents more than 500 VET centres in Spain, and the Esprinet Group have renewed for the second consecutive year their collaboration agreement to carry out necessary actions in the field of VET.

This agreement was made for the first time in February 2022 and this year it returns with the aim of rewarding the best proposals for knowledge transfer in VET. In addition, among its objectives is the desire to promote female talent in training cycles where they have little visibility.

The president of FPEmpresa, Luis García Domínguez, states that “for the Association, renewing this collaboration agreement means maintaining our commitment that means that vocational training centres are allied with companies in our productive sectors. Likewise, this initiative allows us to continue our commitment to talent in all areas of VET expressed by women”.

Since FPEmpresa was created in 2012, it has been working to promote and foster vocational training through the exchange of experiences and good practices. In this way, the Association aims to become one of the agents that strengthen the VET system in the country.

“With the renewal of this agreement we reaffirm our commitment to promote key skills and abilities to train the professionals of the future. In particular, by giving visibility to female talent in those professional families of VET where its presence is testimonial”, says Javier Bilbao-Goyoaga, president of V-Valley Advanced Solutions (Spain & Portugal).

Following the renewal of this collaboration agreement, FPEmpresa and the Esprinet Group are launching entries for the 2nd edition of the Knowledge Transfer Awards in the field of VET. This call for entries is aimed at any public, subsidised or private educational centre associated with FPEmpresa. The registration period will be open from 13 February until 24 February and can be registered through this link.

FPEmpresa

FPEmpresa is a non-profit association that brings together public, private and subsidised Vocational Training Centres from all over Spain. In the same line, it contributes to create a network of centres able to share experiences, projects that want to develop and promote the Vocational Training System of this country.

FPEmpresa aims to give prominence to Vocational Training in the education system and to strengthen relations between the centres and their environment. The commitment between Vocational Training Centres and companies makes it possible to improve the educational offer for vocational training students and the pathways to integration into the labour market.

In 2019, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training awarded the Plaque of Honour of the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise to the Association for promoting VET through collaboration between centres, the exchange of experiences and good practices.

Esprinet

Esprinet is an enabler of the technological ecosystem that, with a strong vocation for environmental and social sustainability, promotes technological democracy. With a

comprehensive offering of consulting services, IT security, services and products for sale or rental through an extensive network of professional resellers, Esprinet is the leading Group in Southern Europe (Italy, Spain and Portugal), the fourth largest in Europe and among the top ten worldwide.

FPEmpresa attends the gala of the first STEAM Alliance Awards for female talent
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FPEmpresa attends the gala of the first STEAM Alliance Awards for female talent

The Association of Vocational Training Centres FPEmpresa attended the ceremony of the first STEAM Alliance Awards on 11th of february, coinciding with the commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Representing FPEmpresa was Tomás Alonso, vice-president of the Association.

The gala has been held in Castelló (Valencia), in collaboration with the Castelló City Council and was attended by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Pilar Alegría, the Minister of Science and Innovation, Diana Morant and the biotechnologist and astronaut, Sara García Alonso.

The STEAM Alliance, of which FPEmpresa is a member, is an educational project by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to value and promote the vocations of girls and young women in disciplines related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Thus, one of the fundamental objectives of the project is to reward the projects of the educational centres that strive to make female talent visible in the aforementioned fields.

“The Association belongs to this alliance in order to reduce the gender gap in STEAM education. All actions should be aimed at this reduction, starting from primary education to make the youngest girls aware that they can be capable of doing everything they set their minds to”, said Tomás Alonso, vice-president of FPEmpresa.

“From FPEmpresa, we congratulate all the VET centres that have been awarded in the categories of Intermediate and Higher Grade. It has been a pleasure to attend this ceremony to share this great experience, where the biotechnologist and astronaut, Sara García, also attended to emphasise that what she likes most is helping people”, added Alonso.

Bonanova Vocational Training Institute, the first winner of the STEAM Alliance

The awards are divided into five categories: Pre-school and Primary Education; Secondary Education and Baccalaureate; Intermediate Vocational Training; Advanced Vocational Training; and entities and organisations. The first prizes are endowed with 5,000 euros each, the second prizes with 3,000 euros and the third prizes with 2,000 euros. All the awards were presented by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training and the Minister of Science and Innovation.

Thus, the Bonanova Institute, a centre associated with the Association of Vocational Training Centres FPEmpresa, won the first prize in the category of Advanced Vocational Training for the project ‘Promotion of female talent and vocation for STEAM from vocational training in health and biosciences’.

The main objective of the project is to make the scientific-technological and research professions more visible to primary, secondary and high school students, focusing on girls and young women who are studying these subjects in order to bring them closer to the STEAM field.

To this end, the Bonanova Institute devises various activities that can be carried out jointly to promote STEAM studies among girls and young women, from the perspective of a vocational training centre specialising in the field of health and biosciences, showing not only the academic itineraries but also the associated future professions.

FPEmpresa celebrates 500 associated centres to continue promoting vocational training
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FPEmpresa celebrates 500 associated centres to continue promoting vocational training

The Association of Vocational Training Centres FPEmpresa has surpassed this 16th February the figure of 500 associated centres from all over Spain. This figure is significant for the organisation, as it means that FPEmpresa’s objectives are being met every day.

Since the Association was set up in 2012, it has been committed to giving a leading role to VET in the education system and strengthening relations between the centres and their environment, helping to generate a greater public presence of these in society. Furthermore, the commitment between vocational training centres and companies is essential to improve the educational offer of training cycles and the pathways to integration into the labour market.

Having reached the figure of 500 associated centres, FPEmpresa continues to work to improve VET every day and to ensure its future growth, because the more centres we have, the more authority the voice of the Association will have.

FPEmpresa believes that all the players involved in VET should maintain the efforts made in recent years to raise the profile of VET and, above all, to invest in resources for it. VET centres should be a point of guidance, training and accompaniment towards the labour market.

VET as the first educational option, the greatest challenge for FPEmpresa

With the new VET Law, many of the main objectives have become a reality. A path has begun on which, if the resources invested are sustained, it could become a new VET comparable to its EU neighbours

Given the daily growth in the number of members, our network is committed to VET as the first educational option, as well as being sufficient, free, flexible and accessible to everyone. FPEmpresa also works to bring VET closer to companies and social agents. It is the future of citizens, but also the future of a healthy society and economy.

CaixaBank Dualiza and the various projects with which it promotes vocational training

Over the last 10 years, the Association has organised various projects related to vocational training thanks to the collaboration with its strategic ally, CaixaBank Dualiza. Both entities have worked together to launch noteworthy projects, such as the Convocatoria de Ayudas Dualiza, which to date has launched six different editions; and the Convocatoria de Orientación Activa, whose current edition is the fourth and whose aim is to recognise and support the guidance actions of educational centres towards VET and/or Dual VET.

In addition, every year FPEmpresa has received the support of CaixaBank Dualiza to organise the different VET Congresses in Spain, which aim to promote the VET of the future and share experiences and good practices among schools.

We would also like to thank the Group Esprinet for its cooperation, with which the collaboration agreement has been renewed to launch initiatives such as the VET Knowledge Transfer Award; Coca Cola for participating in ‘Gira Jóvenes’, its entrepreneurship and youth employability support project; the Orange Foundation, the ExE Foundation, CONIF, among others, to continue carrying out projects for and in favour of VET.

FPEmpresa is committed to Internationalisation

The Organisation is committed to Internationalisation in order to share its objectives and values with other European and international educational entities. For this reason, FPEmpresa is involved in international projects and associations, such as the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) and EfVET (European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training), considered to be one of the most relevant international entities working to promote the quality of VET at European level.

FPEmpresa is also a member of another educational organisation of major international importance, WFCP (World Federation Of Colleges And Polytechnics). Belonging to these entities is not only beneficial for the Association, but also “for our associated centres, which allow them to have references and support in Europe or in other parts of the world”, says the president of FPEmpresa, Luis García Domínguez.

Tenth anniversary and 8th VET Congress

Another of the Association’s notable events was the holding of the VIII VET Congress, under the slogan ‘Building the VET centre of the future’, in Donostia-San Sebastián. More than 650 teachers gathered at this meeting to analyse the future of VET in the country, a record number of attendees for FPEmpresa. At the same time, the Association took the opportunity to celebrate its tenth anniversary, promoting vocational training centres with a future.

In 2010, the FPEmpresa project was presented as an innovation project under the motivation of 83 national VET centres. Two years later it would become the Association that seeks to represent the VET centres of Spain.

To watch the video about the 10th anniversary of FPEmpresa on YouTube, click here.

Finally, we would like to thank all the members who have participated throughout this time in the Boards of Directors and the current members of the Board of Directors, who every day work for a quality and innovative VET and for it to become the first educational option in the country.

FPEmpresa attends the EfVET Executive Management meetings in Madrid
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FPEmpresa attends the EfVET Executive Management meetings in Madrid

The Association of Vocational Training Centres FPEmpresa attended the meetings of the EfVET Executive Management held on 26th and 27th January at the Escuela Superior de Hostelería y Turismo in Madrid. Carlos de Olagüe, EfVET Coordinator for Spain and FPEmpresa Member for Madrid and International, also participated in the organisation of the meeting.

The agenda of the day covered discussions on various topics such as: policy, conference, membership action, finance and projects. However, one of the most prominent topics on the agenda was the preparation of the next European Congress on the island of Rhodes (Greece) from 26 until 28 October 2023. The Congress will include conferences, workshops, visits to VET centres and Market Place (networking meetings), although the theme of the event is not yet known.

The meeting on the 26th was followed by a visit to the facilities of the Escuela Superior de Hostelería y Turismo to learn about good VET practices in the centre.

The meeting on the 27th was followed by a visit to the facilities of the Escuela de la Vid, where José María Rodríguez, Director General of Secondary Education and Vocational Training of the Community of Madrid welcomed the participants, who came from 12 different countries.

Meetings to increase international relations

“The event has been a great opportunity to give visibility in Europe to the quality of vocational training in Spain. Both the Escuela Superior de Hostelería y Turismo and the Escuela del Vid have shown the methodologies and training techniques at the highest level. The Entrepreneurship Classroom of the School of Hospitality and Tourism, equipped with the latest technology, and the attention received by teachers and students have made possible the event with a great international impact,” said Carlos de Olagüe.

“Without a doubt, for FPEmpresa it has been an excellent opportunity to consolidate its international trajectory. In addition, this event was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Directorate General for Secondary Education and Vocational Training and the teams and students of the Escuela Superior de Hostelería y Turismo de Madrid and the Escuela de la Vid”, concluded the EfVET coordinator for Spain.

Finally, the meeting discussed the work of the Thematic Themes (EfVET thematic teams), established in 2018 with the main objective of becoming a ‘Think Tank’, opinion leader and reference point for VET in a specific field. Also, to promote innovation and business opportunities among project members.

Currently, EfVET thematic teams are focusing on the areas of Entrepreneurship, Sustainability through VET, Tourism, VET 4.0, Internationalisation and Learning Mobility and Inclusive Vocational Excellence.

CaixaBank Dualiza and FPEmpresa organise the Dualiza Automotive Encounter
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CaixaBank Dualiza and FPEmpresa organise the Dualiza Automotive Encounter

CaixaBank Dualiza and FPEmpresa have organised this Wednesday, 23rd November, the Dualiza Automotive Meeting at the IES Ana Luisa Benítez. This event, with the collaboration of the Sergio Alonso Foundation, was held with the aim of creating a meeting point where the centres that offer training courses in the professional family of Transport and Vehicle Maintenance can strengthen or establish new relationships with companies in the automotive sector within the framework of the new FP law.

Programme

The event was aimed at the educational centres where the TMV professional family is implemented, as well as business associations and companies in the automotive sector. The meeting began at 9am with a welcome from Javier Nuez Sáchez, director of IES Ana Luisa Benítez; and Eva Aguado, Territorial Coordinator of CaixaBank Dualiza.

This was followed by a presentation on ‘Vocational Training, a new scenario’ by Rosario Gañán Pérez, Director General of Vocational Training and Adult Education. Once finished, Manuel Socorro Valido, Dual VET prospector of the TMV professional family, started the presentation of the day. Nayra Moreno, director of the Sergio Alonso Foundation, spoke about ‘FP Plus automotive’ to highlight the importance of collaboration between the centre and the company.

Likewise, the CIFP Profesor Raúl Vázquez (Madrid) presented the good practices carried out in the Dual VET of the TMV family. Once again, Manuel Socorro spoke on the subject of the figure of the prospector in VET.

After the different interventions, there was a break to have breakfast and take advantage of the space for networking activities. To conclude the event, a round table was held to highlight the value of dual vocational training, under the title ‘Dual vocational training, the challenge’.

IndesIA and FPEmpresa join forces to promote training in digitisation, data and artificial intelligence
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IndesIA and FPEmpresa join forces to promote training in digitisation, data and artificial intelligence

Over the next three years, companies will need 90,000 professionals with expertise in data and Artificial Intelligence in order to be more efficient and able to compete internationally. In addition, new technologies and, therefore, the skills that employees need to have will evolve at such a rapid pace that they will have to continuously update and recycle their knowledge.

This situation is one of the great challenges that companies and society in general are already facing. And in this context, Vocational Training is one of the most relevant training modalities to train all the necessary talent, both in the Spanish industrial sector and in the rest of the economic activities. In order to respond to these training needs and meet companies’ demand for talent, IndesIA, the association to promote the use of Artificial Intelligence in the Spanish industrial sector, made up of nine of the country’s leading companies (Repsol, Gestamp, Navantia, Técnicas Reunidas, Telefónica, Microsoft, Airbus, Ferrovial and Inditex) and FPEmpresa, an organisation that brings together more than 450 Spanish vocational training centres, have committed to working together.

The aim of this collaboration agreement is to promote the introduction of technologies related to data and artificial intelligence within the educational curricula of vocational training to promote training and employment related to science and technology.

As a result of this collaboration, FPEmpresa will begin to carry out an analysis of the current state of VET in everything related to the data economy and Artificial Intelligence by reviewing various reports prepared by IndesIA, which analyse different professional profiles demanded by companies and the training offer currently available and that which will be needed in the future.

In addition, both entities will collaborate in the development of the “Digitalisation” module, which will be compulsory in all Vocational Training degrees, as defined in the Vocational Training Modernisation Plan promoted by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. This will also mean that both institutions will participate in the training of the teaching professionals who will have to teach this module.

On the other hand, their contribution to the creation and revision of vocational training itineraries to train professionals in the field of the data economy and Artificial Intelligence is also foreseen, as well as the promotion of these itineraries in educational centres throughout the national territory.

According to Valero Marín, president of IndesIA, “it is necessary to focus on training and education if we want to improve the shortage of expert profiles in technologies and achieve the transformation of the country in the long term. The data indicate that there are 200,000 jobs related to science, mathematics, engineering and technology that will not be filled in the next two years”. In this sense, he warns “Vocational Training is a great opportunity to train all this talent in a faster and more practical way, but it must focus on the application of new technologies, which is why we consider this agreement with FPEmpresa to be essential, because thanks to their work we will be able to disseminate the importance of digitalisation in all the centres that make up this entity”.

For his part, Luis García, President of FPEMPRESA, explains “it is necessary for vocational training centres to be prepared to be able to provide quality, up-to-date teaching. Not only new technologies, but also the way of learning is different as the digitalisation of classrooms evolves. It is therefore interesting that the centres adapt their teaching methods to the new teaching tools, such as: virtual/augmented reality, digital environments such as digital twins, classrooms equipped with Industry 4.0 technology, etc.”. On the other hand, he comments “it is essential that a VET student is trained in an environment similar to the one they will later find in the real company and in this sense, IndesIA is for us the opportunity to obtain the knowledge that the large companies that make up the association have in terms of the application of data and Artificial Intelligence in the daily work of an organisation”.

FPEmpresa associated centres meet with Canadian institutions of CBIE
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FPEmpresa associated centres meet with Canadian institutions of CBIE

FPEmpresa attended a meeting with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) at the Embassy of Canada in Spain. The event, held on thursday 21th of september, consisted of creating a networking space dedicated to international collaboration with Canada. The event was attended by secondary schools and vocational training centres as well as public and private universities, both spanish and canadian. Among the attendees were the associated centres IES Clara del Rey, IES La Arboleda, IES Isaac Peral, CIFP José Luis Garci and IES Antonio Machado.

In addition, this is the second meeting this year between FPEmpresa and Canadian associations to promote partnerships in relation to international mobility. Carlos de Olagüe Smithson, International and Madrid coordinator of the Association, was in charge of presenting FPEmpresa to the representatives of the Canadian and Spanish educational centres.

International alliances

The international representative of FPEmpresa was the second to speak, explaining the function of the spanish education system; the different training options available to students; and how vocational training works in Spain. Finally, Olagüe explained the structure and projects of the Association.

“This meeting allows us to deepen and improve relations with vocational training institutes in Spain. It is a great opportunity for the schools in Barcelona, which were there at the beginning of the week, and the schools in Madrid to make contact with schools in Canada. In this way, links can be established on student and teacher mobility, scientific collaboration and skills development,” said Carlos de Olagüe.

The event was held with the support of FPEmpresa, the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) and the Canadian Commercial Delegates Service in Spain. Likewise, here the Association has been able to generate this meeting together with CBIE in order to open the borders between both countries and generate new experiences for higher education students.

FPEmpresa, the new representative of EfVET Spain, meets with EfVET Committee to determine a budget and work plan for 2023
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FPEmpresa, the new representative of EfVET Spain, meets with EfVET Committee to determine a budget and work plan for 2023

FPEmpresa, member and new representative of EfVET Spain, has met with the EfVET Europe Committee on 10th of september in Brussels to propose a new work plan for the year 2023. FPEmpresa was represented by Carlos de Olagüe Smithson, International and Madrid coordinator of the Association.

The EfVET representatives that also has attend at the event were Professor Joaquín James Calleja (Malta); Stefano Tirati (Learningdigital.eu – Italy); Arja Flinkman (South Savo Education Ltd – Finland); Marta Almeida Santos (Ensinus Group – Portugal); Panagiotis G. Anastassopoulos (P- Consulting – Greece); Leif Haar (Denmark); Vibeke Holtum Norgaard (Technical Education Copenhagen – Copenhagen); Silvia Liuti (FORMA. Azione srl – Italy); Gaby Tinnemeier (Germany), Giorgos Giorgakis (Eurosucess Consulting – Cyprus); Paulius Cepas (Kaunas technical vocational education centre – Lithuania); Tibor Dori (Euro-Contact Business School – Hungary); Marloes de Vries (The Netherlands), Jussi Kajander (Luovi Vocational College – Finland), Luis Costa (ANESPO – Portugal) and Jon Harding (Bridgwater College – UK).

This meeting has been very important for all the members of EfVET Spain, including FPEmpresa. From now, Carlos Olagüe will be the new representative of the Spanish EfVET members, taking over from Nacho Camacho. “I will take over the position held until now by Nacho Camacho, from the company Incoma, as representative of EfVET Spain. He has carried out his work as a representative with great professionalism for many years and now it is my turn to take on this new challenge, which I am looking forward to”, says Carlos de Olagüe.

Points to discuss

The main point of the EfVET Council was to prepare the organisation of the next Annual Congress will take place at the end of october in Kuopio (Finland), under the slogan “The Future Skills Revolution for VET and CVET in Europe”.

Other important issues were also discussed, such as analysing the activities carried out during the year 2022 and proposing a new work plan and budget for 2023. “I called a meeting tha last 6th of september with the different members of EfVET Spain to pick up their opinions and take them to the assembly in Brussels. Once there, a new line of work for 2023 was created, including a new strategic plan 2022-2026 that will be presented at the Kuopio Congress. This will be the big moment when we all meet again to exchange views with each other”, concludes the international representative of FPEmpresa.

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

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