Portugal: Aprendizagem+ – A post-secondary level training offer

In Portugal, the vocational education and training (VET) system aimed at young people includes:

• vocational courses focused on school-based education, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education;
• apprenticeship courses focused in dual training, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security.

Dual learning has a strong tradition in Portugal but its focus has been exclusively on secondary level training, NQF/EQF level 4. However, increasing requirements for workers' skills, and the need to respond to a quickly changing labour market and accelerated scientific and technological development, led to the creation of a new programme in the dual system context, ‘Aprendizagem +’, offering an NQF level 5 qualification.

Aprendizagem + is addressed to young people aged between 18 and 29. Its main goals are:

• to upgrade the qualifications of young people in order to improve employability and integration in the labour market and to pursue further studies, including higher education;
• to improve and recognise the training potential in the work context, through active participation of companies and other employers in the training process;
• to help young people enter the labour market/real work contexts through the practical experience of on-the-job training.

This training programme introduces new developments and specific features to the existing offer:

• it leads to a higher level of qualification (NQF 5);
• more hours are spent on the training component in work contexts as a key strategy to improve labour market knowledge;
• the companies’ role is reinforced: the training component in work contexts is designed with the active contribution of training providers (companies);
• remote training is possible.

The importance of this programme is also based on the optimisation of synergies and experience/knowledge sharing between education and training providers through local agreements, which enable the sharing of facilities, and human and training resources.

The programme launch contributes to the implementation of a commitment included in the ‘Agreement on vocational training and qualification: a strategic plan for people, enterprises and the country’ reached within the context of the social dialogue (Social Consultation Committee) in the scope of Social Concertation.

Read more

• Ordinance [Portaria] No 70/2022, of 2 February
• Agreement on vocational training and qualification: a strategic plan for people, enterprises and the country