Inspired by the German dual system—which is widely recognized and replicated in many countries— vocational training combines and integrates theoretical and practical activities at educational institutions and in the workplace, thereby enhancing the process by which young apprentices acquire skills.

This is a provision set forth in the Consolidated Labor Laws (CLT), which establishes guidelines to facilitate and ensure access to a first job. The law requires medium- and large-sized companies to hire, as young apprentices, between 5% and 15% of the number of employees whose job duties require systematic vocational training. This applies to individuals between the ages of 14 and 24, with no age limit for people with disabilities.

In a country with high rates of school dropout and unemployment, especially among young people, this should be a strategic tool for addressing the challenges associated with high school education and income distribution—a bridge between basic education and the labor market.

With the implementation of a new high school model nationwide, vocational education is taking on an even more important role. This is because it can be integrated with technical and vocational training pathways, enabling young people to complete their basic education with a technical qualification or course and work experience at a company. 

By enabling young people to begin their professional careers without having to give up their studies to work and earn an income—on the contrary, one form of education is linked to the other—you improve student engagement and learning outcomes, reduce dropout rates, and, consequently, increase performance and completion rates in basic education. For young people, this opens up prospects for continuing their educational journey through higher education, as well as for gaining access to and advancing in their careers.

Even with all this potential, vocational education remains largely unknown in Brazilian educational systems. Introduced in Brazil in the 1940s, it has not received the recognition it deserves, nor has its potential been fully realized in terms of its impact on young people’s lives, on the productivity and competitiveness of businesses, and on the country’s development. 

In 2021, Brazil had 457,279 apprentices on the payroll, according to data from the Ministry of Labor and Employment’s Annual Social Information Report (RAIS/MTE). This figure is 22.9% higher than the total number hired in 2020, but still well below the number of apprenticeships that would exist if the minimum quota of 5% per workplace were met. There is also a continuing trend toward the growth of apprenticeship programs offering vocational training courses with low occupational complexity. This highlights the importance of the debate and the significant effort required to ensure that the quota target and the objectives of vocational training are fully achieved.

And what path should Brazil take?

The International Labor Organization (ILO) advocates for what is known as “quality apprenticeships,” which involve a structured educational program led by a training institution and include learning activities both at the educational institution and at the company. It should be geared toward a target audience that meets minimum prerequisites for prior training, guaranteed by a formal employment contract with the right to adequate compensation and social protection benefits, and should also include formal assessment and certification in occupations recognized in the labor market. It should not be confused with—or even reduced to—what the ILO itself calls “pre-apprenticeship,” which is aimed at addressing gaps in general education and providing basic preparation for work.  

High-quality vocational training programs must be developed by taking into account and incorporating the changes that have been occurring in production processes and by shaping the future of work and the nature of work in light of technological advances and environmental changes. Analyses such as those by the World Economic Forum highlight these trends and underscore the importance of the quality of basic education and vocational education as crucial factors in career trajectories.

Studies on the impacts of vocational training provide evidence supporting this view and highlight its important role by showing that those who have participated in vocational training programs have a higher likelihood of securing permanent employment. They also show that these individuals have lower turnover rates both between occupations and between companies. Furthermore, these studies reveal positive effects on educational attainment, with a 43.8% increase in the likelihood that trainees will complete high school. 

The level of complexity of the work associated with the vocational apprenticeship program is also cited as a determining factor in its effect on academic performance in the medium term, as well as on rates of access to permanent employment in the short term. This reinforces the argument for prioritizing apprenticeship programs linked to more highly qualified technical career paths and, therefore, highlights the potential benefits of integrating them with formal education. 

It is not uncommon for studies around the world to reveal the positive outcomes of vocational education, whether by facilitating the transition from school to the workforce, through its effectiveness in providing professional training, or even as a driving force for education. 

Thus, the approach of integrating learning with vocational and technical education and with high school education could yield significant benefits and help address the current situation facing young people in Brazil—including unsatisfactory completion rates and proficiency levels in the learning that takes place throughout high school, as well as high rates of unemployment and informal work. 

In Brazil, of the total number of apprentices hired in 2021, 52.63% had not yet completed basic education, and of these, 84% had not completed high school. If we include those who had completed elementary school, this figure rises to 88.64%. However, nationwide, the total number of students enrolled in high school was 7.8 million, with 84.5% attending state public schools. In other words, this group is much larger than the 202,051 young people enrolled in apprenticeship programs who have not completed high school. 

We know that work is a reality for young people. According to a SESI and SENAI survey conducted by FSB Pesquisa in 2020, 26% of high school students were engaged in some form of paid work, with 32% working as freelancers. Often, the need to work to earn an income is a reason for dropping out of school. This was the case for 39% of those enrolled in high school in 2019.
This is both a warning and a call to action. We need to join forces to improve the quality of education for young people, boost basic education completion rates in Brazil, and break the vicious cycle faced by young people due to a lack of qualifications and experience. To this end, we can integrate apprenticeships with vocational and technical education and high school.

Vocational training has proven to be a powerful tool for preparing our young people and our economies for the future. Therefore, expanding this group’s access to vocational training programs is the approach that is considered most effective for everyone!

About the author:

Did you like this article? Then share it on your social media: