Aragon Adds 2,000 Vocational Students and Expands Offer with 21 New Programs

Vocational Education and Training continues to grow in Aragon. In-person VET now has 27,657 students enrolled this academic year, around 2,000 more than at the same point last year, while the regional government expects the system to reach nearly 28,600 students overall. The growth comes alongside an expansion of the training offer. This academic year, 21 new programs and 495 first-year places have been added, strengthening access to Vocational Education and Training in the region. Almost half of these new places are linked to technology sectors or STEAM disciplines, as the Education Department seeks to align VET more closely with the needs of the labor market and Aragon’s business community. A MORE EMPLOYMENT-FOCUSED VET The director general of Planning, Schools and Vocational Education and Training, Luis Mallada, said Tuesday in the Cortes of Aragon that VET is undergoing one of the education system’s biggest transformations since 2023, following the adaptation of regional regulations to the new national model and the assumption of responsibility for managing students’ Social Security. “Vocational Education and Training cannot be designed solely by looking at what we have historically taught; we have to look at where the jobs are and speak with companies,” Mallada said during his appearance before the Committee on Education, Science and Universities. The regional government is also committed to expanding access to these studies through more flexible formats. These include Level C and D programs, specialization courses and online provision, with the aim of enabling workers and adults to continue their training throughout their professional lives. TRAINING TO RETAIN TALENT IN ARAGON The Government of Aragon believes Vocational Education and Training should also become a tool for retaining young talent in the region’s districts and boosting the local productive sector by bringing training closer to companies’ real needs. The Department’s strategy involves moving away from planning based solely on the traditional offer and promoting programs linked to areas where there is demand for professionals, particularly in technology and specialized sectors. The transformation of VET is part of the six priority lines set by the Directorate General for Planning, Schools and Vocational Education and Training for the coming academic years. According to Mallada, the aim is to consolidate it as a pathway to qualifications, employment and competitiveness for Aragon’s three provinces.