Last week, 22 vocational education teachers were able to participate in an Erasmus stay in Amsterdam. Through the Erasmus programme (SEPIE) and thanks to our hosting partner in Amsterdam, ROC van Amsterdam, the teachers from the health and socio-educational fields were able to observe and discover how VET centres are managed in the Netherlands, how VET studies are organised, and what the role of teachers is in the Central European country.
Build your VETer Future aims to develop innovative competitive learning methodologies among VET students, foster 21st-century skills, and raise awareness about the value of Vocational Education and Training as a generator of real solutions for the sustainable construction sector.
The expected results include:
The project involves the participation of:
Each centre selects 5 students and 1 tutor to take part in the European work:
The challenge proposed for the development of the project focuses on designing a modular educational space, energy-efficient and built mainly with wood, transportable and adaptable, with low environmental impact and universal accessibility.
With this meeting in Barcelona, Build your VETer Future officially begins its European journey, creating a unique opportunity to position Vocational Education and Training as a driver of innovation, creativity, and sustainable transition in the construction sector.
The Foundation and SENATI of Peru, an institution created by the “Sociedad Nacional de Industrias” with the aim of providing professional training and upskilling in industrial activities, as well as in installation, repair and maintenance tasks for any other economic activity, have a collaboration agreement to promote innovation in the industrial field.
Within the framework of this agreement, we have collaborated in the evaluation of projects, and a VET teacher in the field of design and graphic arts had the opportunity to participate in SENATI’s Innovation Week in Graphic Arts. The selected teacher among the candidates was Martí Zamora from Escola Pia de Barcelona and Mataró.
According to the teacher, collaboration with SENATI was, from the very beginning, an extraordinarily enriching experience, both professionally and personally. The institution, a reference centre for higher technical training in Peru, has more than sixty campuses throughout the country, and the Lima campus —the most important and with the greatest academic diversity— represents a true nerve centre of knowledge, innovation and technological development. Being invited as an international lecturer was a privileged opportunity to get to know first-hand an institution that, with vocation and rigour, nurtures the talent of new generations.
During his stay, he was able to fully integrate into the daily life of the School of Graphic Arts and Informatics, where, with the constant support of its teaching team, he could observe first-hand their methodology, the internal functioning of classes and the curricular structure of the training programmes. This immersion enabled him to understand in depth SENATI’s commitment to practical, up-to-date training aligned with the real needs of the industry, especially in areas such as 3D animation, digital design, audiovisual production and emerging creative technologies.
The central point of his participation was the keynote lecture during the Annual Graphic Arts Festival, where he presented a comprehensive overview of the current state of the creative industry in Europe, sector trends, and the role of Barcelona as an international hub for design, animation and technological innovation. This lecture —structured around the intensive work carried out for the project: scripts, slides, real cases, portfolio analysis, professional projection and an introduction to platforms such as “The Rookies”— was received with great interest and engagement from the students. Their curiosity and energy turned the session into a space for dialogue and two-way learning.
In parallel, he delivered a workshop for teachers, focused on the integration of new technologies into the educational and productive ecosystem. In this session, they explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in creative disciplines, the tools currently used in Europe, hybrid workflows, and the challenges and opportunities these tools bring to technical training. The workshop, designed to showcase real applications and current pedagogical criteria, generated a highly valuable debate on innovation, curricular updates and future strategies for the centre.
Overall, this experience at SENATI represented much more than a one-off collaboration. It was an opportunity to build bridges between institutions, share knowledge, compare methodologies and develop new lines of international cooperation. He was able to confirm the centre’s potential, the professionalism of its team and the motivation of students eager to grow within a global creative industry. Without a doubt, this project reaffirms the importance of working together to promote innovative, competitive and connected technical training.
On November 13 at Citilab in Cornellà de Llobregat, the award ceremony of the second edition of the Catalonia FP BIZ DAY Awards was held, promoted by the Department of Education and Vocational Training in collaboration with Caixabank Dualiza.
The Fundació BCN Formació Professional has been distinguished with the Quality Excellence Certification in the reception process of dual VET with the support of the Institut Lluïsa Cura.
These awards are the recognition of the effort of organizations to promote the development of dual vocational training (in an intensive system), the quality of the service provided, and the collaboration between companies and educational centers.
The Foundation, together with the Management of Mobility, Infrastructures and Urban Services and the Municipal Tax Office, are the three units of the Barcelona City Council certified within the framework of the Dual VET Project at the Barcelona City Council, which each year counts on nearly 300 dual VET interns. The next step is to continue adding municipal departments with the quality excellence seal.
In this 2025-2026 academic year, the Barcelona City Council has 298 VET interns, from 19 professional profiles and 23 VET centers in the city of Barcelona.
The commitment of the Barcelona City Council is to intensive Dual VET, in the scholarship modality, training 2,870 VET interns with a total investment of €9.8M (2013-2026).
Thanks to all the people involved!
On July 24, the plenary session of the Barcelona Vocational Training Council was held, with the participation of Barcelona City Council, the BCN Vocational Training Foundation, the Vocational Training Network, and other key players in the sector.
During the session, the Foundation presented the report on the international projects developed jointly with Xarxa FP, highlighting the opportunities for mobility and cooperation that are being generated for students and vocational training centers.
It also shared updated information on the enrollment process run by the Barcelona Education Consortium, as well as the latest developments from the Department of Education’s Directorate-General for Vocational Training, which will set the strategic guidelines for the coming academic year.
Finally, a work agenda was agreed upon for the return from vacation, with the aim of continuing to promote projects that reinforce the role of vocational training as a driver of talent and innovation in the city.
The BCN Vocational Training Foundation is beginning the preparatory phase of the ALMA Catalonia Program, an initiative promoted by the Catalan Public Employment Service and 100% funded by the European Social Fund, which aims to empower vulnerable young people to access the labor market, the education system, and, in general, full social inclusion.
The project offers 10 places for young people between the ages of 18 and 29 who are registered with ZOCO as job seekers and beneficiaries of the Youth Guarantee. It is aimed especially at people with a low level of education, who have been unemployed for more than a year, who have functional diversity or mental health issues, or who are no longer under guardianship.
This program allows participants to enjoy an international experience with all expenses covered —travel, accommodation, and meals— and provides intensive preparation to ensure success. Mobility promotes the acquisition of new skills, boosts confidence, and facilitates job placement thanks to personalized service and continuous monitoring.
On July 11, 2025, we attended the meeting of the Institute of Catalan Studies (IEC) within the framework of the Barcelona Innovation Coast (BIC) Council, which brought together representatives from the institutional, academic, scientific, and business spheres to advance the strategic objectives of the initiative.
As part of this meeting, the Foundation’s ObservatoriFPLab invited us to participate in the Working Session on Talent in Semiconductors and Chips. This working space generated debates and concrete proposals around one of the key areas for the region’s competitiveness.
The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) is promoting this pioneering initiative, which facilitates and centralizes online intermediation between companies and vocational training centers.
The municipalities of Castelldefels, Gavà, El Prat, Sant Boi, and Viladecans are joining this project to streamline the hiring and recruitment of young talent.
Starting this month, companies in the Llobregat Delta have a new, quick, and easy way to hire young people in dual vocational training. With just a few clicks, they can access a pool of apprentices from vocational training centers in the area and begin the process of hiring them.
The initiative, dubbed the dual vocational training accelerator, was presented on this Friday, the 4th, in Viladecans by the mayor of the town and CEO of Social Policies and Equality at the AMB, Olga Morales; the secretary of Vocational Training at the Department of Education and Vocational Training of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Francesc Roca; the Secretary General for Vocational Training of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports, Esther Monterrubio; and the coordinator of the Vocational Training Observatory of the BCN Vocational Training Foundation, Àngel Tarriño.
The dual vocational training accelerator is a pioneering pilot project (2025-2027) in Spain, developed in the Llobregat delta, promoted by the BCN Vocational Training Foundation and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), and in agreement with the Department of Education and Vocational Training of the Government of Catalonia and the city councils of Castelldefels, Gavà, el Prat de Llobregat, Sant Boi de Llobregat, and Viladecans.
This tool functions as a hub connecting companies and training centers: it seeks to simplify and accelerate the process of intermediation between companies and vocational training centers, increase the number of companies participating as trainers in dual vocational training, support vocational training centers in managing student placements by generating more learning contexts, and improve the recruitment and retention of local talent, all of which brings direct benefits to companies, centers, and students.
During the presentation of this initiative, Olga Morales, CEO of Social Policies and Equality at the AMB and mayor of Viladecans, highlighted that “the process of finding a dual vocational training student can now begin with a quick and easy online application, which makes the vocational training system more agile.” She added: “The dual vocational training accelerator is a strategic commitment to better connect the world of education with the business world and guarantee real opportunities for young people, reducing the costs of finding apprentices for companies and the costs for centers to find internships for students.” As for her city, Viladecans, she noted that “we are making ourselves available to this project with every intention of contributing. Education and sustainable economic development are pillars of our city model.”
Esther Monterrubio, Secretary General for Vocational Training at the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports, stated: “I am certain that this pilot project will mark a turning point for the municipalities of the Llobregat Delta, promoting the training of the talent needed for productive sectors to grow, consolidating generational renewal, increasing the employability of young people, and elevating the system as a whole”. Regarding the arrival of vocational training students in companies, she acknowledged: “We know that incorporating vocational training students into a company is nothing less than a source of wealth, talent, and resources. The new dual vocational training system is an ally of the company, and the smaller the company, the more of an ally vocational training will be”.
Finally, Monterrubio explained that the most successful vocational training systems incorporate collaboration between vocational training centers and companies, so that students do not only go once they have finished their training at the center, but throughout all the courses of their training. “We have to understand the company not only as the place where you arrive after a period of theory, but as a training space that is just as valid as the center itself, providing different training and perspectives”, he said.
The Secretary for Vocational Training at the Department of Education and Vocational Training, Francesc Roca, stated that “the dual vocational training accelerator presented today is a tool of high strategic value. Allow me to draw an analogy with the world of physics: in a particle accelerator, particles gain speed thanks to a prepared, controlled, and highly specialized environment. Here we do something similar with people in training: we create the conditions for their professional development to accelerate, connecting theory and practice, knowledge and experience, the classroom and the workplace.” Roca added that this accelerator therefore symbolizes “the desire to promote solid, relevant life and career paths that are adapted to the needs of the productive sectors, through a dual training model that places the student at the center of the process and the company as an active and co-responsible training agent”.
Àngel Tarriño, coordinator of the Vocational Training Observatory at the BCN Vocational Training Foundation, explained: “The accelerator is a clear commitment and an opportunity to make the operational leap that dual vocational training needs, and it removes some of the barriers we face. It is a pilot project with great potential, which can be scaled up in other areas and territories. It is based on direct cooperation between the local community, the Department of Education of the Generalitat of Catalonia, and the economic fabric, and we believe that this is the key to the success of this initiative, which provides innovative tools and working methodologies”.
A digital solution to the demand for talent
At a time of economic growth and sectoral transformation in the Llobregat delta—with notable increases in employment in sectors such as logistics (+24%), retail (+12%), and construction (+6%)—many companies are finding it difficult to recruit young, qualified candidates.
This context, coupled with the evolution of the new dual vocational training system and the increase in its administrative complexity, calls for a model such as the dual vocational training accelerator, which optimizes the flow of supply and demand for apprentice profiles and reduces the time and cost that companies spend on finding apprentices.
How does it work?
The system is completely digital and is open throughout the school year: first, the company accesses the accelerator’s website and views the Llobregat Delta vocational training qualifications portfolio, where it can consult all the qualifications available for taking on apprentices.
It then fills out an online form and indicates the professional profile it needs.
The application is then entered into a database shared between the five local councils and all the centers and companies in the area.
At this point, the accelerator activates the search and puts the company in contact with the centers that can provide apprentices, following a circuit structured by proximity zones (coronas 1, 2, and 3).
Finally, the educational centers propose suitable candidates for the application and the stay at the company is planned.
The accelerator also offers support services, such as guidance on which vocational training qualifications are best suited to each job profile, information on administrative procedures, and access to the various vocational training qualifications offered by training centers in Llobregat Delta, through an interactive guide to the existing training options. It also contains information on key aspects to help any company understand and implement dual vocational training.
The accelerator project can be scaled up and replicated in other areas of the metropolitan area if the results of the pilot test are positive.
A public-private partnership project
The AMB’s dual vocational training accelerator is a reality thanks to the involvement of all stakeholders:
All of this is done with the technical support of the Public Employment Service of Catalonia (SOC), the Directorate General for Vocational Training, and the Directorate of Regional Education and Vocational Training Services in Baix Llobregat.
A region with training and business potential
The Llobregat delta is an area with more than 8,000 companies, strategic infrastructure such as the port of Barcelona, the airport, and the ZAL, and an extensive network of 22 vocational training centers that train more than 8,000 students each year.
This combination of educational opportunities, business diversity, and a tradition of public-private cooperation makes the region an ideal setting for evaluating this type of innovative project.
This month marked the start of a new edition of the Metropolis FPLAB project, now in its seventh year. Participants have already begun their training placements at partner companies, a unique opportunity to apply their knowledge, develop professional skills, and establish direct contact with the world of work.
Through this collaboration, companies and students join forces to promote innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness in the metropolitan productive fabric.
The BCN Vocational Training Foundation and Innobaix have organized a day of visits to local companies for the young participants in the CompEuropa Singular Project, with the aim of facilitating their knowledge of the productive environment of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and contributing to their integration into the labor market once they have completed their experience abroad.
On Friday, June 27, we visited four leading companies located at Citilab-Cornellà and DFactory Barcelona: 5SKILLS GmbH & Co. KG, Tretavol, Leitat Technological Center, and ICIL.
During the day, the companies shared the following with the young people:
✅ How they operate and their internal dynamics.
✅ Their current situation in the job market.
✅ The professional profiles they hire.
✅ The ways to access their job opportunities.
Bringing young talent closer to the business world and enhancing their employability is one of the key objectives of our joint work.
