The BCN Vocational Training Foundation has organized a conference to present its new pedagogical and innovative project based on the exchange of knowledge on innovative solutions in the field of sustainability.

This project called “EU Water Challenge VET Labs” aims to involve European VET learners and trainers to identify nature-based innovative solutions to mitigate the consequences and effects of flooding and improve water retention within an imaginary European city, called ‘Metropoli’. Both learners and trainers will participate in the first international VET awards to respond to this key social challenge in the water management sector.

The company that launches the challenge is Agbar, part of the international Veolia group, committed to ecological transformation. The city ‘Metropoli’ is invented and developed by Agbar and includes a series of combined functions from a typical city of Denmark, Belgium and Spain to emulate different environmental contexts (those from the different participating centers) in a unique city.
Therefore, participating VET students will have to be creative to solve a real-world need by applying the challenge-based learning approach (Challenge Based Learning) and other open innovation methodologies applied to VET, while acquiring deeper knowledge and skills needed to thrive in a changing world.
The event was attended by leading experts from the sector and brought together representatives of companies and entities involved in the sector.

Among the speakers were Lluc Pejó, director of the Water School and talent director of Agbar and responsible for launching the challenge of the project, Mrs. Anna Hern’ndez, head of the Social and Economic Development Area of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. In addition, Sol Bermejo, coordinator of the project for the BCN Vocational Training Foundation, presented the EU Water Challenge VET Labs, and Gemma Sepúlveda, coordinator of the Foundation’s innovation project, also presented the MetropolisFPLab, a project that has served as an inspiration to scale up a pedagogical VET project based on challenge-based learning at the European level.

During the presentation of the challenge, experts in urban drainage solutions have shared their knowledge and experiences, including the explanation of what are “natural-based solutions” by Angel Villanueva, director of resilience and climate change at Agbar. The city ‘Metròpoli’ was also presented by Montse Lloch, Head of Communication of the Agbar Water School, explaining to the participants what were the basic requirements with which the fictional city created by the participants would need to count.

The Challenge-Based Learning (ABR) methodology, an innovative pedagogical element provided by the project and the virtual platform, have also been presented by Joan Ras, from SDLI. The session closed with a group dynamic to promote teamwork among students by Júlia Zivic and Gemma Sepúlveda, from the Barcelona Vocational Training Foundation.

This week, a delegation of teachers and different institutions are doing a training stay in the cities of Hamburg and Hanover in order to know the German vocational training system in general and, specifically, the dual vocational training system in the field of logistics and international trade.

The MetropolisFPLab continues to advance, and now only those teams with the best proposals follow the project. The different companies that launch a challenge have chosen the 3 or 4 most viable proposals to follow the project, and in order to finish promoting them we have carried out the accelerator workshop: a day of innovation and rethinking the prototype with acceleration techniques and personalized support of the company. Next week we will meet the finalists!

From 18 to 20 April 2023 the Foundation collaborated in the 7th edition of Advanced Factories and the 1st Advanced Machine Tools at Fira Gran Via- Barcelona, a benchmark event for the automation, robotics and industry 4.0 sector.

On April 20, 2023, we presented the Factories of the Future awards to innovative FP 2023 projects at Talent Marketplace.

The winning centers 2023 have been:

· Institut Bernat El Ferrer de Molins de Rei

· Manolo Hugué Institut of Caldes de Montbui

· Institut of Vic

These awards are a recognition to VET centers that are innovating to adapt to industry 4.0 trends, offering training proposals for future professionals and responding to the challenges of the digital economy.

The awards were given by Fabi’n Mohedano, executive president of the Public Agency for Vocational Training and Qualification of Catalonia.

On April 13th, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees met. The meeting approved the 2022 annual accounts and took stock of the activities and projects of the first quarter of 2023. In particular, the consolidation of the Foundation within the VET ecosystem and good coordination with all the agents of the system were highlighted. Reference was also made to the return to normality of international mobility and all the effort that has been made in this field from the Foundation and the FP Network.

On April 12, at the headquarters of the Convent of St. Augustine in Barcelona Activa, the Plenary of the Vocational Training Council of Barcelona met.

Among other topics, it was possible to know the offer of VET for the 2023-24 academic year in the city by the Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona. Also the policy of deployment of the new Institutes with more relationship with knowledge hubs and with the corresponding sectors. The new approach of the Yearbook of VET was presented. And, from the FPCAT Agency, the agreement signed with the government for the integrated planning of Vocational Training was explained.

Within the framework of the deployment of its Master Plan, during the month of March the Barcelona Education Consortium has opened two new institutes that become part of the Be Pro Network.

On March 9, the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies of Barcelona was inaugurated, which will integrate all professional teachings in the digital field. It will also offer continuous training thanks to the agreement that the Education Consortium has signed with Barcelona Activa to collaborate in the training of citizens, in addition to making the municipal economic promotion agency available to students and their itineraries towards the world of work. The new center will be located in the facilities of the Media TIC building and was born at a time when the business and technology world demands new professionals, without losing sight of the need to overcome the gender gap.

 And on March 29th, the Institute of Audiovisual Techniques and the Spectacle of Barcelona was inaugurated at the headquarters of the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. The center will integrate all professional teachings from the different disciplines that include the performing arts. The institute is also part of this typology of centers focused on professional education with a commitment to flexible and versatile spaces. Work is underway on an agreement with the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya with various lines of collaboration such as the transfer of spaces, and the support of theatre professionals to the teaching staff of the centre.

On 30 and 31 March, the BCN Vocational Training Foundation and the FP Network, as members of the Alianza X FP promoted by the Ministry of Education and Professional Training, attended the International Congress of FP in Madrid. The congress was opened by Minister Pilar Alegría and Vice President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas.

Throughout different interventions and round tables, the opportunities and challenges posed by the new economy and the current moment of VET have been addressed.