Dual Vocational Training is becoming a key way to deal with the lack of skilled workers
On 25 April, Badajoz hosted the 1st ECO-DIGITHON in Spain, a pioneering event organised by FPEmpresa and Innogestiona Ambiental as part of the European ENNE+ (Erasmus+) project. The event exceeded all expectations in terms of participation and results, establishing itself as a meeting and creative space for vocational training students, companies, government and educational centres.
‘We wanted to create an inspiring space to connect innovation, sustainability and vocational training, and we have achieved this with flying colours,’ emphasised the organisers.
This initiative, co-financed by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, has boosted young people’s creativity and strengthened collaboration networks to build a more dynamic and innovative vocational training system that is aligned with ecological and labour market challenges.
Team classification
After an intense day of collaborative work, the teams presented innovative proposals that were evaluated for their feasibility, impact on sustainability and degree of digitalisation.
The jury’s decision was particularly difficult due to the high quality of the proposals submitted in this edition of ECO-DIGITHON. The evaluation committee, composed of Patricia Mora (Director of Innogestiona Ambiental), Elena Argudo (Director of the Association of Vocational Training Centres FPEmpresa), Daniel Villa (Technical Teaching Advisor in the Vocational Training Service of the Directorate-General for Vocational Training, Innovation and Educational Inclusion of the Regional Government of Extremadura), and Carolina Romero (Project Technician at Fundecyt-PCTEX), had to carefully assess factors such as innovation, social impact and the viability of each project. The competition was fierce, but in the end, Muévetex (IES Sierra La Calera) presented an innovative digital platform designed to improve sustainable mobility in rural areas, responding to one of the major connectivity challenges in the region. The jury highlighted its strong connection with the real needs of the community, its high social impact and its viability for immediate application, factors that earned it first place in this edition of ECO-DIGITHON.
Three other centres were also awarded prizes for their proposals.The final ranking was as follows:
| Position | Team | Project | Educational Centre | Award |
| 🥇 1º | Team 8 | Muévetex: Digital platform to improve access to rural transport | IES Sierra La Calera | Participation in the 9th Social Hackathon Umbria (Italy, July 2025) €1,000 in materials for the centre €250 gift card for coordinating teachers (max. 2) and community representative |
| 🥈 2º | Team 5 | Little Big Friends: Connecting older people with younger people | IES Francisco de Orellana | €750 in materials for the centre |
| 🥉 3º | Team 10 | Sustainable garden built with recycled materials and low water consumption | IES Javier García Téllez | €500 worth of materials for the centre |
| 4º | Team 9 | Sustainable urban transport: Monitoring of goods vehicles | IES Ágora | €300 worth of materials for the centre |
Note: To view the rest of the projects, please click here.
Round Table: Dual Vocational Training as a driver of employability
As part of the ECO-DIGITHON programme, a Round Table on Dual Vocational Training was held, bringing together leading representatives from the administration, the business world and the education sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities of Dual Vocational Training in Extremadura.
Notable participants:
- Pedro Antonio Pérez Durán – Director General of Vocational Training, Innovation and Educational Inclusion of the Regional Government of Extremadura.
- Juan Carlos Castaño Carpintero – Director of Training at the Cáceres Chamber of Commerce.
- Pilar Apolo – Coordinating Member of FPEmpresa in Extremadura.
- Moderator: Patricia Mora, Director of Innogestiona Ambiental.
During the debate, the strategic role of Dual Vocational Training as a driver for improving the employability of young people and aligning their training with the real needs of the labour market was highlighted. In addition, the main new features of Organic Law 3/2022 were presented, which has transformed the vocational training system in Spain, organising it into five ascending levels (A, B, C, D and E) that offer a more flexible and adaptable structure. This new configuration allows students to move from specific micro-training to high-level specialisation courses, equivalent to a master’s degree, thus facilitating more personalised training pathways that are better connected to the demands of the professional environment.
The panel also highlighted the difficulties in achieving an effective connection between companies and educational centres, a collaboration that, although crucial, continues to face significant barriers in Extremadura. Finally, the growing importance of practical training was highlighted, now reinforced by Dual Vocational Training, which offers students the opportunity to train in real work environments, improving their preparation for the professional world.
About the organisers
- Innogestiona Ambiental applies engineering and environmental intelligence from Extremadura, with a European perspective, working for social, economic and environmental sustainability.
- FPEmpresa is the main national network bringing together public, state-subsidised and private vocational training centres throughout Spain, promoting innovation, educational quality and links with the productive environment.
About ENNE+
The ENNE+ project (‘Improving National VET Networks through Eco-innovation’) is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
The opinions expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of Innogestiona Ambiental and FPEmpresa and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE).
