The Junta de Andalucía invests 117 million euros in increasing the number of training cycles in Dual Vocational Training to adjust the offer to new regulatory requirements and respond to the needs of the labor market. This action, included as an Operation of Strategic Importance in the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) Program Andalucía 2021-2027, will provide training for a total of 23,566 students in the region who will benefit from the new cycles. This operation aims to reduce inequalities in access to employment and in job opportunities strengthening social cohesion in Europe.
The Minister of Economy, Finance, and European Funds, Carolina España, has stated that the ESF+ Program funds «are a lever to make Andalucía a more social and inclusive region, investing in education and training, in employment, and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable groups.»
In this sense, she highlighted the commitment of the Andalusian Government to increase the offer of qualifications and places in dual Vocational Training, which she described as «the best youth employment plan and the best tool to end school dropout.» «Dual Vocational Training offers opportunities to young people and strengthens the capacity and competitiveness of the region by helping our productive fabric, as it ultimately offers them the best human capital, well-trained young people.»
In this regard, the Secretary General of European Financing of the Ministry, Gerardo Fernández-Gavilanes, and the Director-General of European Funds, Carlos de la Paz, held a working meeting with representatives of the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, headed by the Director for Working Conditions and Social Dialogue, María Luisa Cabral, and the policy and program responsible technician, Ana Sanabria Celdrán, to analyze the progress of the ESF+ and discuss the current priorities of European employment policy, as well as the future of the ESF+ within the framework of the new architecture of cohesion funds. The delegation also included representatives from the Ministry of Employment, Training, and Self-Employment, as well as from the Managing Authority of the European Social Fund of the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy.
National reference center
Likewise, the European delegation met with the Minister of Employment, Training, and Self-Employment of the Junta, Rocío Blanco, with the aim of exchanging views on the Roadmap for Quality Employment (QJRM).
The working session included a visit to the Public Integrated Center for Vocational Training Javier Imbroda, in La Rinconada (Seville), to get a closer look at the activities carried out within this operation. This center, a pioneer in Andalucía and a national reference, represents a strategic commitment to technology and innovation, opening up new opportunities for the youth of Andalucía. It also represents the largest investment in educational infrastructure in recent years, with over 14 million euros co-financed with European funds.
Currently, it offers twelve vocational training cycles of Intermediate and Higher Vocational Training in both the educational system and Vocational Training for Employment, bringing together all teachings related to the aeronautical sector and the professional family of Transport and Vehicle Maintenance.
For the Minister of Educational Development and Vocational Training, Maria del Carmen Castillo, «we are at a crucial moment to lay the foundations for the new Vocational Training in Andalucía, which is already having a significant impact both on talent retention within the education system with the reduction of dropout rates and the growth of graduation rates as well as on youth employment.»
In this regard, she recalled that the community currently has 608 bilingual Vocational Training classrooms since the 2020-21 academic year, and that more than 6,130 students have completed training in companies in other EU countries through the Erasmus+ program. Castillo also highlighted that teacher training and equipment improvement have been promoted, with a total investment exceeding 64 million euros, measures that have been accompanied by an increase in the Network of Integrated Vocational Training Centers, which have grown from 5 to 9, with benchmark facilities linked to leading productive sectors such as aerospace, like the Seville center, or technology (Campanillas, Málaga).
ESF+ Program Andalucía 2021-2027
The institutional mission also included a visit to the Andalusian headquarters of the Secretariat of the Gypsy Foundation, where other relevant actions co-financed by the ESF+ were discussed.
The ESF+ Program Andalucía 2021-2027 has a total allocation of 2.103 billion euros, an amount that represents a 22% increase over the amounts invested by the ESF in the 2014-2020 framework. The European Social Fund Plus is the main financial instrument of the European Union to promote employment, education, and the fight against social discrimination in Member States, promoting greater economic and social cohesion.