Vocational education is "increasingly high quality in the Azores", says José Manuel Bolieiro - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, accompanied by the Secretary for Youth, Housing and Employment, Maria João Carreiro, marked today the beginning of the 2024/2025 school year in vocational education at the EPROSEC Vocational School on São Miguel Island.

"Vocational education is a first choice, it is a vocation, it is increasingly high quality in the Azores and it offers quality and excellence to young people, their families, the employability market and companies," said José Manuel Bolieiro.

He defended that the Government's commitment to vocational education "will lead to the productivity of the Azorean economy, in addition to the happiness of each individual in the fulfilment of their vocation."

This academic year, which has just begun, the number of new students at Vocational Schools has increased for the 3rd consecutive year, with 121 more students than last academic year and eight more new level 4 courses - a total of 946 new students starting a three-year level 4 programme and 49 level 4 courses beginning at 15 Vocational Schools in the Region.

This growing visibility and confidence in vocational education at vocational schools emerges from a joint strategy between the Regional Government and vocational schools, through the Regional Agenda for Vocational Training and other measures.

For José Manuel Bolieiro, it is important to "defend vocational education" as an educational route that trains young people to work in an occupation or pursue higher education in the areas where they have already acquired technical skills.

He also pointed out that the Azores have one of the highest rates in the country and Europe regarding early dropout from education and training, noting that fighting this scourge has been this Government's goal.

"It has to be a priority. We must not hide this problem and be ashamed of it. We have to face this problem to overcome it. We are doing it gradually and reducing the dropout rates of our young people," stressed the President of the Government.

"I have confidence in the success of educational training, on the one hand, the ability to teach and, on the other, the ability to learn," he said.

José Manuel Bolieiro addressed more than a hundred young people at the EPROSEC auditorium, delivering a heartfelt message of recognition and gratitude to all those who contribute to the success of vocational education in the Azores.

The President of the Government stressed the essential role of everyone involved in the training process, praising the role of the trainers who make a decisive contribution to "empowering the new generations."