What is the reason for changing the Vocational Education Law?

In the Basque Country, changes were already being worked on and implemented in Vocational Education, due to the importance of people having access to a wide set of skills, both personal and professional, to be able to fully develop and take advantage of the job in a context of economic and technological change. This affects personal and social well-being and increases structural unemployment, early school leaving and the gender gap.

The current technological and economic change requires the appropriate qualification of human capital and the importance of vocational training in the State training structure is highlighted, to meet the needs of the production system, especially in the context of digitalization and ecological transition.

And for all that, the VET system needed a change and/or reorganization that would be equally suitable for all citizens, expanding opportunities and giving opportunities to train people throughout their lives.

How is the new VET system organized?

The new law on Vocational Education develops a VET system to train people in a flexible way throughout their life. It unifies the system, favoring the creation of accessible and cumulative pathways that help citizens make training decisions (qualification and re-qualification) before the end of compulsory schooling and throughout their working life.

New offers have been introduced that allow for the acquisition of micro-trainings, which, combined, allow them to move up through a training continuum and obtain successive accreditations and advanced degrees.

The system is organized into grades A, B, C, D and E, thereby allowing for successive progression from accreditations and higher qualifications. Grade A leads to partial verification of professional skills, which is the basis. Level B brings the different levels (1,2,3) and the professional modules included in a high-level offer that is family-friendly to professionals. C grades are training made up of various professional modules related to a specific work activity and corresponding to a cycle of Vocational Education. Finally, the D degrees are the Initial, Intermediate and Advanced education cycles, and the E degrees are the specialization courses.

On the other hand, the levels of professionalism in each degree (1, 2, 3) allow you to progress from one to the other. Level C, divided into three levels 1, 2, 3, corresponds to Vocational Education cycles.

Another improvement of the VET system is the recognition of the professional skills acquired through the work experience of active people working without accreditation, certification or professional title. The competence recognition process was already being worked on, and it is the accreditation obtained through this procedure that facilitates the training paths to obtain a higher qualification.

What are the benefits of the new system for the population (professional qualifications and improvements...)?

The active population, on the one hand, will have the opportunity to verify the professional skills or skills acquired during their working life, and as a result, obtain cumulative qualifications or official accreditation that recognize their skills.

On the other hand, thanks to this, training paths will be opened to improve professionally, to be able to progress in the new vocational education system and to be able to complete the training to obtain the relevant title or professional certificate.

Finally, the need to involve business and union organizations in the process of promoting the accreditations of their employees as added value and necessary to improve the work fabric has been assessed.

In short, the population will have a training offer, compatible with their personal or work situation, which will allow them to acquire new skills, keep their professional skills up to date, advance in the specialization of the qualification and advance in the Education and Training System.

What types of Vocational Education offers are now available for new degrees?

In theory, levels A, B, C, D and E can be delivered face-to-face, semi-face-to-face, virtual or mixed, as long as quality and adequate training are guaranteed.
Looking ahead to the next academic year, we will have C, D and E levels in the VET centers.

What is the new VET system about? Where does he want to go?

To a professional education system that facilitates the progress and improvement of any person with training needs or acceptable work experience, wherever they are, facilitating professionalization and thus improving the demands of the labor market that demands more specialization every day.
New systems for professional skills in the world of work .

identifies and guarantees appropriate training offers, enables the acquisition of the relevant training or, where applicable, its recognition, and offers a professional guidance and support service that allows the design of the individual, as well as collective training routes.

Therefore, this law aims to achieve an articulated and sequential system that benefits the population and the current work network.

Can the law still be improved?

Any law can be improved, but it must be recognized that it is a great progress to obtain a flexible model of Vocational Education, where there is a place for the entire population, regardless of age, regardless of condition, unlimited, inclusive, continuous, cumulative, flexible and adaptable orientation to the needs of each person.