XV Basque Vocational Training Conference The Entrepreneurship Awards ceremony was held this year under the slogan ‘Sowing Opportunities Together’, and was attended by Rikardo Lamadrid, Director of Technology and Advanced Learning at the Department of Education, on 17 June. Representatives of students, teachers and new employers gathered at the event, Iurreta LHII, among the most stringent security measures.

The event was also attended by Jon Labaka, Executive Director of Tknika (Basque Center for Applied Vocational Research and Innovation). Tknika is responsible for coordinating entrepreneurship programs in Vocational Training. These awards highlight and recognize each year the best projects in each of the entrepreneurship programs that Tknika promotes and coordinates in Basque Vocational Training schools; specifically, the Urratsbat and Ikasenpresa programs.

During the awards ceremony, Rikardo Lamadrid, Director of Technology and Advanced Learning of the Basque Government, said: "We want to recognize the work done by students and teachers of Vocational Training schools in 2020-21. We also want to highlight their work in entrepreneurship programs, as they have been able to adapt to the situation and overcome all obstacles to promote entrepreneurship and internal entrepreneurship, all of which must be internalized and supported by the Vice-Minister for Vocational Training of the Department of Education. continues ". "Starting from a 4.0 context, the commitment of the members of this sub-ministry is still in favor of training cycles that deal with sustainability or health, among other things, because we need to strengthen them in these areas. Basque society needs 4.0 entrepreneurs."

On the other hand, Jon Labaka, Director of Tknika, recalled that the aim of this recognition event was to "highlight the importance of entrepreneurship in the Basque Country and, after receiving training in various fields of Basque Vocational Training, the difficulties of this pandemic emphasizing the value. Without forgetting the work done by school teachers to spread an entrepreneurial culture. Changing values ​​and giving the importance it deserves to entrepreneurship will certainly help us to be a more resilient society. "

Entrepreneurial programs and award-winning projects

Step-by-step program: Out of the 56 companies launched by the students, 5 companies have been awarded. The aim of the Basque Primary Education Step Program is to help primary school students start their own business. Vocational schools become a real business incubator and provide full advice and support to entrepreneurial students so that they can start their own business. Real companies.

Last academic year (2019-2020), primary school students created 56 companies in the Basque Country in their own schools through the Urratsbat program. In each of these categories, with a prize of € 2,500, the following stood out:

• 2021 Urratsbat Award, € 2,500, for the best technology company: Elkartenet, from Harrobia Ikastola. The award was presented by the La Caixa Foundation. Elkartenet carries out educational and associational projects and trade-related projects through free software applications.
• Urratsbat Award, € 2,500, for the best industrial company: Bela Detail, from the Iurreta LHII school. The award was presented by the La Caixa Foundation. Bela Detail is responsible for the care and aesthetic maintenance of vehicles.
•  Urratsbat Award, € 2,500, for the best service company: Miri Sorgin, from the Amorebieta Primary School. The award was presented by the La Caixa Foundation. Miri Sorgin provides home hairdressing and beauty services in rural areas.
• Urratsbat Award, € 2,500, for the best company run by women: Mamba arquitectas, from La Salle School in Irun. Tknika has awarded the prize. Mamba writes technical projects in architecture, engineering, installations and urban planning.
• 2021 Urratsbat Award, € 2,500, for the best social enterprise: Arati Galapan, from the Galdakao School of Hospitality.

The award was presented by the La Caixa Foundation. Arati Galapan offers horseback riding and echinotherapy. Since the first steps of the Urratsbat program (2004-2005 academic year), VT students have created a total of 1,023 companies through this program in VET schools. Today, 65% of them are still in operation.

Ikasenpresa program: 6 prizes out of 970 projects developed

Ikasenpresa is an educational program to promote an entrepreneurial culture among students. One step can be said to be the step to be taken before the program. By developing a company that offers a real product or service, students have the opportunity to develop their skills and become good professionals, employers, active people, entrepreneurs and internal entrepreneurs.

Students learn by doing to be entrepreneurs. In the 2020-2021 academic year, around 5,000 students and 236 teachers from 83 primary schools participated in the program, presenting a total of 970 Ikasenpresa projects. 6 categories have been created for these awards, which aim to recognize the most outstanding projects in the Ikasenpresa program, and the following 970 projects have been awarded:

• Business idea: Guretech S. Coop., Salesians of Urnieta from BHIP.
• Market research and mix marketing: IzAz3D Coop., By Emilio Campuzano LHII.
• Social Impact, Launch Campaign, and Outreach: Hyptnotic S. Coop., BHIP of San José de Calasanz.
• Point of sale and merchandising: Nicolás Larburu LHII.
• Business idea with a future projection: Babiru Publishing Cooperative, owned by Nicolás Larburu LHII.
• Social Entrepreneurship: New Era S. Coop., San José de Calasanz BHIP.