Vocational training

By professional training (FP) is understood all those studies and learning aimed at insertion, reintegration and labor updating, whose main objective is to increase and adapt the knowledge and skills of current and future workers throughout life. Currently in most countries it is known as Vocational Education and Training, Spanish translation of Vocational Education and Training.

For this, and depending on the specificity of each country, there are usually three subsystems of professional training:

• Specific or Initial Vocational Training, in principle, aimed at the group of students of the school system who decides to direct their steps towards the world of work, whose objective is to insert the job.
• Occupational Vocational Training (FPO) aimed at the collective that is currently unemployed, whose objective is to reintegrate the person into work.
• Continuing Vocational Training (FTE) aimed at the working group, whose objective is to acquire greater competencies that allow a permanent update of the worker to the job he or she performs or to choose another, which is ultimately summarised as an increase in his employability.
• Integral Vocational Training (ICF), seeks to train good people who can interact with others and with the surrounding environment, so that they can be recognized and achieve good work throughout their lives, all with the purpose of creating human resources that the country needs.

Vocational training by country

Spain

In Spain, vocational training depends on the autonomous communities. Access to Specific Vocational Training is divided into three levels, which have different access requirements:

Basic vocational training cycle: it is accessed for those students who are at least 15 years old and a maximum of 17 with up to 3rd year of ESO or even 2nd year as long as it has been proposed by the teaching team from the educative centre. Also for those adults who do not have an academic degree of any kind. It consists of two academic years and 2000 hours of duration and once passed, the title of basic professional technician is obtained, giving this title direct access to the intermediate level training cycles. They will include, in a transversal way, teamwork, occupational risk prevention, environment and the prevention of gender violence.

Intermediate Level Training Cycle: it can be accessed after having obtained the ESO degree or by taking a specific test for access to intermediate level, for which it is necessary to be 17 years old. At the end of these studies, a technical degree is obtained in the corresponding degree. It requires technical and scientific knowledge of the activity and application skills and understanding of the process.

The modules of which each of the cycles is made up depends on the branch chosen, except for Training and Labor Guidance (study during the first year of the cycle) and Business and Entrepreneurial Initiative (studying this in the second course). Both subjects are completely mandatory to pass to acquire the degree.

At the end of the cycle, and having passed all the modules (both first and second year), with the exception of a failing (if the faculty decides so), the students will take the Training in Work Centers (FCT). The duration of this compulsory module will oscillate between 380 and 410 hours, taking place between the months of March and June for those approved in March, and between September and December, for those who failed in March and have to recover in September, or, for those who have suspended the FCT in ordinary period.

Higher Education Training Cycle: can be accessed after having obtained the Baccalaureate degree. Another option is to take a specific test for access to a higher level, for which you must be 19 years old, or be 18 years old if you have an intermediate degree related to the one you wish to access. Possession of a medium-level Training Cycle title does not allow direct access to a higher-level one. Upon completion of these studies, the title of superior technician is obtained in the corresponding degree. Completing these studies, they enable access to the university without the need to take the university entrance exam and validating credits in the different careers.

The upper level training cycles belong to tertiary education in Spain, therefore they are higher studies.

In both cases, the age must be taken at the end of the calendar year.

Mexico

In Mexico, the training systems that exist in upper secondary education and in universities have not been able to keep pace with technology because it advances too quickly. Which the study plans have had to be adapted to the current needs of the students in order to train them in an adequate way.

Argentina

Officially, at the end of the 1970s, a first official approximation to Vocational Training was inaugurated under the framework of a technical school in the Barrio de Barracas, it was called ENET No. 43, today it is the Vocational Training Center No. #1; many pioneers of Vocational Training in Argentina have started their activity there.

In Argentina, this training is the main competitiveness strategy through the training of technicians (Tecnicaturas), it is part of Non-University Higher Education (University College), it is regulated by law 26058.

Bolivia

Chile

In Chile it is called Professional Technical Training. Vocational Technical Training (FTP) is divided into: Medium technical-professional Training, Higher Technical-professional Training and Labor Training (workers and unemployed).

Columbia

It is offered by SENA and the Training Institutions for Work and Human Development. They train in Technical programs according to the labor competency standards issued by the sectoral committees that make it up, mainly the productive sector.

Peru

In Peru it has become one of the main tools to combat youth unemployment, it is regulated by Law 28518 of 2005.

Uruguay

El Salvador

Legislative Decree No. 554, dated June 2, 1993, published in the Official Gazette on July 29 of the same year, issued the Vocational Training Law, which created the Vocational Training Institute, as a Autonomous institution of public law and with legal personality; in order to meet the needs of qualified human resources required by the economic and social development of the country and promote the improvement of the living conditions of the worker and his family group.

Dominican Republic

In this country there is the National Institute for Professional Technical Training (INFOTEP). Autonomous entity, in charge of carrying out technical and professional training policies.

The Republic of Panama

The National Institute of Vocational Training and Training for Human Development INADEH, governing body of the State in matters of professional training, job training and training in business management; that promotes a culture of training for life and work.

It was created according to DECREE LAW No. 8 (of February 15, 2006) in its first article, the National Institute of Vocational Training (INAFORP) created by Law 18 of 1983, is restructured, under the name of the National Institute of Vocational Training and Training for Human Development (INADEH).

INFOTEP, governing body of the national system of professional technical training of the Dominican Republic, is an autonomous State organization, invested with legal personality, of a non-profit nature and its own assets, created by Law 116, of January 16, 1980, and regulated by regulation 1894, of August 11 of the same year. It is directed by a board of directors, with a tripartite structure, made up of the official, business and labor sectors, and administered by a general management.