How to get a quality professional education without books or tests

It is said that trade is taught by its implementation, but at present it is not enough. Spain needs qualified staff to meet the needs of the manufacturing sectors.

To this end, the government has developed a strategy for the transformation of vocational training and one of the directions for action is the formal accreditation of skills, which from March 2021 has a constant call.

By 2024, the Spanish executive wants three million people to prove their skills. A goal for which 850 million euros will be allocated. According to the government, 48% of the active population in Spain does not have accredited training.

Expect a report in our country

“Statistics in Spain show that we have a very low ratio of qualified people compared to the rest of the EU,” said Vladimir Carbonelli, Director of Vocational Training at MasterD. That, he said, poses a problem for the business fabric that needs to cover the work Qualified people Who can demonstrate their skills with a diploma.

Pablo Delgado Rubio is a culinary student at the MasterD School of Hospitality and Tourism. Delgado explains this Prove their skills “It is important to apply for a job, for example, in a hospital or for a competition exam in a chef’s nursery. The student says that when applying for these jobs he was always asked for an approved degree.

With a degree in environmental sciences, Delgado decided to return his own hobby, Cooking, in his profession. That’s why he went to MasterD. “The internship went very well and, fortunately, I found a lot of work,” said Delgado.

The chef’s experience coincides with the Carbonell diagnosis, which is provided by qualified people More chances of finding a job. In addition, he says, “some specialties already require an official FP degree or a certificate of professionalism to practice the profession.”

“We should consider skills accreditation procedures as another way for any citizen’s career plan to improve their professional profile and choose the job market or continue to gain accreditation and ranks within their ongoing training plan,” he explains. Carbonell.

An alternative way to get quality

To achieve government goals, institutions facilitate accreditation procedures for this type of skills for people who, despite their skills and knowledge, fail to obtain a degree. Is designed for these procedures Increase the qualification level of the active population And thus ensure that Spain improves its performance. The Director of Vocational Training at MasterD explains that this is an interesting way to gain qualifications for the benefit of training and professional qualifications and the promptness of procedures with a maximum duration of six months.

Another advantage of these procedures is that they are permanent, meaning candidates can apply for registration at any time without having to wait for specific calls.

For Juan Jose Algara, a student of the Faculty of Assembly and Low Voltage Electrical Engineering, it was not difficult to obtain a degree. “In my case, it was a peculiar procedure, because it was conducted during COVID-19, so it was individual and quite fast,” explains Algara, who assures that if you are ready, there is no problem in accrediting your knowledge.

How to lend your skills

The end result of the accreditation procedure, Carbonell said, is obtaining accreditation of units of competence. Competency units define professionalism certificates and intermediate and advanced level training cycles. “Thus, once a candidate obtains the accreditation of the units of this competency, we can make sure that he / she qualifies to apply for the official certificate of professional qualification, or confirm the parts of the FP,” explains the director.

Delgado, for example, had accredited competency units for almost all middle-class subjects, with the exception of a few, having to take a different route. “With the personal interviews, training and experience I had, I was able to accredit all the skills,” says the chef.

The case of Alberto Miragaia, a student of the photoelectric solar installation course, is similar to that of Delgado. Miragaia accredited his skills without the need for assessment tests. “I have achieved all the units for both low voltage assembly and maintenance qualifications as well as photoelectric solar installations,” the technician explains.

Overall, MasterD has 65000 students All over Spain. According to the director, we have a very diverse number of students depending on what training they are undergoing. As for the profile of people trying to qualify for vocational training, it varies by sector, for example in the field of social health or business administration or management, they are mostly women under 25 years of age. Age.

In more technical specialties, older men come to undergo training and support to obtain a formal degree. However, Carbonell says there is more and more balance between the sectors. “The breadth of existing specialties means that the typical profile of a MasterD student is just as wide,” he concludes.