Thousands of job offers from all sectors are published daily on Internet job portals, but increasingly more common are those looking for greater specialisation of professionals and the development of their professional skills than the fact that candidates have a university degree. This is closely related to the many advantages of this type of training.

Vocational education and training offer those who want to specialise in a particular field the possibility of not only acquiring theoretical knowledge but also immersing themselves in the practical processes to develop skills demanded by the labour market. As a result, this type of training has a higher rate of incorporation into the labour market than university graduates.

But, what is vocational education and training and what are its characteristics? In this article, we explain it all to you.

What is Vocational education and training?

Vocational education and training is a type of education that combines different studies and learnings focused fundamentally on facilitating incorporation into the professional world, enabling access to employment, and providing active participation in the cultural, social, and economic life.

Its main objective is to prepare students for the development of a certain activity within the professional world and facilitate their adaptation to changes in the labour market that may occur throughout their careers.

Vocational education and training qualifications and certificates are the instruments for demonstrating the professional qualifications and competences referred to in National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications in the field of VET. They are official and valid throughout the national territory.

Characteristics of Vocational Education and Training

A training system as valid as university training and which has a more practical and closer approach to the business world. It also allows for internships abroad.

In addition, it has the advantage that the duration of the course is shorter, the enrolment fees are cheaper, and integration into the professional world tends to be more quickly. Besides, the relationship between teachers and students is closer and the class becomes a teamwork from the very beginning.

On the other hand, it should be noted that, in contrast to the imposition of many universities of doing a face-to-face degree, VET allows online training, so many working professionals can continue to specialise in the subjects they are interested in while combining it with their work.

Levels of vocational education and training

Currently, there are more than 160 different qualifications available in Spain, belonging to 26 different professional fields. Within each professional family, we can find the following levels of vocational education and training according to the Spanish education system:

Basic VET

These are 2-year training courses aimed at people who don’t have Spanish Secondary Education and who wish to focus on vocational education and training studies.

Intermediate VET

These are technical-practical training courses of between 1.200 and 2.000 hours, which allows one to obtain a Technical qualification. In addition to this, they give access to other Spanish Intermediate courses, Advance courses, and Baccalaureate. To access this type of training, it is necessary to meet one of the following requirements:

  • To have completed Spanish Secondary Education (or a higher level of training).
  • To have a Spanish Basic VET qualification.
  • To have passed the second year of the ancient Spanish Secondary Education.
  • To have a Spanish Technical or Assistance qualification or equivalent.
  • To have passed the Spanish University Admission Tests for those over 25.
  • To have passed Spanish Admission Tests to access the Intermediate VET, for which it is essential to be at least 17 years old.

Advance VET

These are training courses that last between 1.200 and 2.000 hours which allows students to obtain the Spanish Higher Technical qualification in their chosen field. To access this training, it is essential to meet one of the following requirements:

  • To have a Spanish Baccalaureate qualification.
  • To have finished the ancient Spanish Secondary Education.
  • To have finished the ancient Spanish COU, that is, the equivalent of the current last year of Baccalaureate.
  • To have a Spanish Higher Technical Specialist Technician Degree or equivalent.
  • To have passed the second year of any Spanish experimental Baccalaureate.
  • To have a university degree or equivalent.
  • To have passed the Spanish Admission Tests to access Advanced Training Courses, it is essential to be at least 19 years of age in the year in which the exam is taken, or 18 if you have a Spanish Technical qualification.

To sum up, vocational education and training is no longer just a residual option but has become a fantastic opportunity for many people who want to pursue higher education. The advantage is that they are very practically oriented and in high demand in the labour market, which considerably increases the chances of getting a job and adapting quickly to the way of working in a real company.