Professional Training and Companies
Despite the crisis, we have talked to Iñaki Mujika, Director of the Usurbil Professional School of special knowledge-related investments. Vocational training centres in the field of education have always been the poorest relatives, but in Gipuzkoa, above all, they have had a special activity, thanks to joint planning with companies and administrations.
V: When and for what purpose did the Vocational Training and the business training plan begin?
A: I think there are things that need to be differentiated: on the one hand, there are professional schools that, like the Polytechnic School of Mondragón, have developed special training plans as a consequence of the relations maintained with the companies of the environment. On the other hand, the rest of the professional schools and especially the professional public schools were dedicated to the regulated training and in few cases were related to the companies of the environment.
In 1986 in Gipuzkoa, with Imanol Murua as Deputy General, proceeded to organize training plans between professional school and companies. With the presentation of the projects from the schools was equipped with equipment. To date, two three-year plans have been developed (plans 88-91 and 91-94) in which almost 1 billion have been invested. Therefore, the equipment that has been incorporated into schools is leading and that has motivated the teachers. Other plans have also been developed: a specific training plan for unemployed youth (under 25). Similar plans were also presented for women.
These have been the plans made by the Council. The Department of Labour of the Basque Government also organized regional commissions in 1989. The objective of these classes was to collect the existing classes in the region and respond to the existing training problems. For this purpose very interesting groups were organized. The companies had municipal representatives, trade unions, schools and technicians. But this plan lasted very little (just 3 years) and not very well. Anyway, from there we have also learned some things and we have to recognize that the ones that are giving the most momentum right now are the schools themselves.
V: What are you currently working on at the Usurbil Professional School?
A: The Usurbil school has 3 specialties: administration, industrial automation and mechanics, and within the latter the specialization CAD-CAM. In these specialties we are quite well equipped, both in equipment and in teachers. Since the year 84 the school of Usurbil has worked a lot in the relations with the companies of the environment and at this time we are known. As an example, I would mention the agreements we have signed with some 70 companies. Outside the specialties mentioned there are a series of actions to develop, of organizational character. We want to work in this area and therefore we have made different requests to the Department of Labor and the Council. The Diputación de Gipuzkoa has also advanced in this field. Sectoral studies and needs plans are already underway.
V: To carry out these plans, given the crisis and size of companies, companies can hardly invest what is necessary in training. So how do you pay the cost of training plans?
A: Materials, teachers and plans in the schools themselves. To date, the Council has subsidized the courses (70%), that is, a normal course of 40 hours or went out at a very good price: 8,000 ptas. or cost. But there was always concern, to see if what was given there answered the needs of the companies. That's why we thought it was best to meet companies and propose plans to companies. In this sense, we have developed a plan with the company Ingemar.
Ingemar told the School that the staff working on the machines were able to perform a simple maintenance, that they themselves function malfunction of the machine... detect that perhaps it is not solved, that it is stopped in the necessary time, that it is looked at, that if something is wrong, it is able to change that part, that they know the machine and that it has technological knowledge. Thus, three courses were proposed. We present the plan and it before the unions, before the workers, etc. As he explained, instead of taking three courses, 9 came out, with demand from workers and unions.
This means that people are willing to improve, maintain and work in that environment. We have made another plan with Luzuriaga. Luzuriaga, for his part, conducted an internal study, a study of needs, hence the relationship with us. To see what answer we could give. What came out of this edition has been the delivery of 13 courses aimed mainly at recycling maintenance, mechanics and electricity personnel. Here we have also moved all funding channels in the Diputación and the Diputación subsidizes 65%.
V: And you teachers are obliged to be somehow at the top. Do you, Iñaki, see that concern in the School and in professional schools in general? That is, I have to offer a service and prepare to offer it. How do you see this topic?
A: If you want equipment at school, you have to give courses at school. To be able to teach the courses you have to prepare, but as the equipment is leading, he has been the driver of recycling.
V: Six... you have eight years of experience and it is many years to judge. How do you see the surroundings of Usurbil and Lasarte-Oria compared to the situation that existed 8 years ago?
A: I explain it to you with an example. Not eight years ago, but 10 years ago, in schools there was not so much material and technically we were quite backward. Now the Usurbil Professional School collaborates with the engineering of the area and with the small companies that work on advanced technical issues, and also we do it as a warehouse of materials, that is, we now have very advanced equipment and most companies can not deposit them because they cost a lot of money.
When a customer comes or wants to make an exhibition, they are made at the school itself or taken from the school and taken to the company. Strengthening these relationships is an example of relationship with companies. On the other hand, as mentioned above, these relationships derive training demands, both from these companies and from the work they perform to other companies, etc. of the needs that arise. Therefore, there has emerged a certain chain.
V: Has something similar happened or is happening in other territories of the Basque Country?
A: I think that here the biggest advantage of professional schools is Gipuzkoa, as I said before, because of that impulse that has been given. In Bizkaia and Araba there are some centers that are in the lead and that follow this line, but in general I think it goes down a lot.
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