Vocational course electrical networks, extended to Olhão, could put 2,000 young people in EDP – South Region

The Ministry of Education and EDP yesterday signed a protocol extending the vocational course in electrical networks, which can come to meet the need for replacement of 2,000 people in the company over the next five years.

“For the training that is at stake here EDP will need over the next five years to two thousand people. There is a generational renewal and for new needs and this requires that the market has the capacity to respond, “said Chairman of the Board of Directors of EDP, Antonio Mexia told reporters at the end of protocol signing ceremony.

The agreement between the production company and distribution and the Government intends to strengthen the vocational course in technical secondary school of electrical networks, in the previous year academic work for the first time in high school António Damásio, in Lisbon.

In the next school year the course reopens classes next school year in the school António Damásio and will also get to secondary schools São Pedro, in Vila Real, and Dr. Francisco Fernandes Lopes, in Olhão.

With these courses, students can in two years a qualification at the level of secondary education, which enables them to exercise the profession of electrical networks after a year of academic training and a year of training the-job, in stages secured by EDP.

António Mexia cautioned that this type of education makes young people “more employable” and helps secure them in regions 2 in what is now very difficult to find people with the skills “that the EDP needs.

The chairman of the EDP Board of Directors acknowledged that the extension of one to three courses from the next school year may the next year be reviewed “since there are effectively involved.”

“The company can not do this alone, we need schools, polytechnics and in many cases the municipalities. Every year multiply by three this is resolved quickly, “he said of the ability of these courses give response to the needs of 2,000 new employees over the next five years.

On the side of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Minister Nuno Crato stressed “success” course that allowed its enlargement and stressed that young people who finish this training “often have guaranteed job.”

The vocational courses were launched in 2012-2013, basic education, having only arrived this training available to secondary education in the next school year. The starter in both cases occurred in the course of pilot projects.

The ministry’s data indicate that, between the primary and secondary school, attended the vocational courses in 2014 more than 27 thousand students.

However, data for May, also released by the Chief Executive, reported only 24,000 students spread over 1,170 classes, and the involvement of five thousand undertakings necessary for the concept of this type of education, which implies that a part of formation arises in the workplace.