The Spanish Apprentices Network “Somos FP Dual”, in English “We are Dual VET” is the first network that represents apprentices in Spain.  After collaborating with education centers and businesses, the Spanish Alliance for Dual VET, Alianza para la FP Dual, has launched this pioneering project to raise the voice and include the vision of apprentices in the growth and development of the Dual VET in Spain. As protagonists of the Dual VET system, this project has been founded under the belief that apprentices are a key actor to communicate the benefits of the system to society and indicate what aspects still need to be improved. LIDL Supermarkets and the Bertelsmann Foundation are the leaders of this initiative.

On May 2018, the Spanish Apprentices Network was launched with 45 apprentices and former apprentices from Catalonia, Madrid and Andalusia. After defining the network’s mission and vision during the inaugural activity, it will focus on:

• Dissemination – spreading the word about the Dual VET through social media and presenting their personal experiences in schools, business and school fairs, among others.
• Quality Assurance – contributing to the quality of the program conducting studies on relevant aspects of the Dual VET and making proposals to improve the program.
• Exchange of experiences – fostering the exchange of experiences at the national and European level, by strengthening the collaboration with the European Apprentices Network (EAN). This aspect is particularly relevant to the network as national and European cooperation is essential to improve the quality of the Dual VET system.

In order to ensure the true empowerment of apprentices, the members have elected regional coordinators and have structured the network in three teams, each of them responsible of a different area. One team is in charge of social media action; a second one organizes off-line dissemination activities and a third one will conduct research and make proposals to improve the quality of the program.

As a prove of the great motivation of the apprentices, in only two months “Somos FP Dual” has already had three regional meetings in order to keep developing their activities and it has presented the Dual VET system in two radio stations and in an event with 150 secondary students.

In the near future, the network is already planning activities to reach more than 2.000 secondary students and their families, as well as conduct a first study on the information that apprentices want to know and are lacking when they sign up for Dual VET programs.

If you want to know more about the Spanish Apprentices Network and how they are having an impact on the Spanish Dual VET system, follow them in Facebook “Somos FP Dual” or Instagram “somosfpdual”!