• The congress also hosted the presentation of recognitions to the educational centres participating in the 9th Dualiza Grants Call, an initiative promoted by CaixaBank Dualiza in collaboration with FPEmpresa, aimed at fostering innovation in Vocational Education and Training.

More than 1,100 VET teachers and professionals attended the 12th National VET Congress of the Association of Vocational Education and Training Centres FPEmpresa and CaixaBank Dualiza Foundation this Thursday and Friday in Santander. Under the slogan “Building bridges: VET, a space of opportunities”, participants analysed the main trends, challenges and good practices currently facing Vocational Education and Training.

The opening ceremony was led by the president of FPEmpresa, Luis García; the director of CaixaBank Dualiza, Paula San Luis; the secretary general for VET, Esther Monterrubio; and the president of Cantabria, María José Sáenz de Buruaga.

During his speech, Luis García highlighted that “Vocational Education and Training is today a connected system that brings together centres, companies and territories to respond to the challenges of the future”. For her part, Paula San Luis stressed that “VET centres are drivers of territorial growth and spaces where real opportunities are generated for people and companies”. At institutional level, Esther Monterrubio pointed out that “Vocational Education and Training has become consolidated as a strategic national policy, key to improving employability and transforming the production model”. Finally, María José Sáenz de Buruaga underlined the role of VET as “a fundamental tool for economic development and job creation in the region”.

The first two keynote sessions were delivered by the minister for Education, Vocational Education and Training and Universities of the Government of Cantabria, Sergio Silva, in conversation with his director general for VET, Cristina Montes, and by the secretary general for VET of the Ministry of Education, Esther Monterrubio.

In their intervention, Sergio Silva and Cristina Montes addressed the evolution and consolidation of the Vocational Education and Training system in Cantabria, focusing on its growth in recent years and on the challenges posed by its future development. Both emphasised the need to continue strengthening collaboration between public administrations, educational centres and companies, as well as to make progress in the strategic planning of the system in order to adapt it to the needs of the productive sector. They also highlighted the importance of dual VET and of adequate funding to guarantee its quality and long-term sustainability.

For her part, Monterrubio argued that Vocational Education and Training has become consolidated as a strategic national policy, key not only to employability but also to the transformation of the production model. She underlined the progress made by the system in recent years and the need to continue promoting its quality, strengthening dual VET and adapting the training offer to changes in the labour market, especially in the face of challenges such as generational renewal and the continuous updating of skills.

In addition, social inclusion and emotional well-being were central themes during part of the first day, with interventions focusing on the role of VET as a tool to guarantee equal opportunities and support people beyond employability. In this regard, Daniel Rodríguez de Blas, from FOESSA Foundation, stressed that “Vocational Education and Training is one of the most effective levers for reducing social exclusion, provided that it guarantees real access for those who need it most”. Meanwhile, psychologist José Antonio Luengo highlighted that “there can be no learning without emotional well-being”, calling for stronger support for students as an essential part of the education system.

Attendees were also able to learn about different good practices developed in leading educational centres. In this context, Ixaka Egurbide, from IMH Campus, shared his centre’s experience in developing initiatives aimed at strengthening the connection between Vocational Education and Training and the productive environment, presenting projects that seek to adapt training to the real needs of companies and move towards more flexible and innovative models. For her part, Sonia Gil, from CIFP Pirámide in Huesca, presented various educational initiatives focused on methodological innovation and coordinated work among teaching staff, showing how collaboration between teaching teams and the updating of training practices help to improve students’ preparation for the challenges of today’s labour market.

The second day made it possible to further explore the impact of innovation on the education system, especially the growing role of artificial intelligence and the importance of soft skills in today’s labour market. In this regard, Carlos González Morcillo, university professor and academic director at UCLM, analysed the evolution of Artificial Intelligence and its direct application in education and Vocational Education and Training. Meanwhile, Mónica Lázaro, head of talent acquisition and internal mobility at Indra Group, addressed the evolution of soft skills into so-called power skills, stressing that they are now the competencies that make the difference in professional development and employability.

The congress also hosted the presentation of recognitions to the educational centres participating in the 9th Dualiza Grants Call, an initiative promoted by CaixaBank Dualiza in collaboration with FPEmpresa, aimed at fostering innovation in Vocational Education and Training by supporting projects developed by educational centres in connection with companies and other local stakeholders. Through this call, proposals are promoted that improve the quality of training, strengthen students’ employability and help adapt VET to the current challenges of the labour market, encouraging collaborative work and the transfer of good practices between centres.