Formación Profesional e innovación: Estudio de la transferencia de innovación entre centros de FP y empresas

This article presents the results of research carried out by Rovira i Virgili University in coordination with the University of the Basque Country, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation. The aim of this research is to analyze the relationships between the vocational education and training system and industrial firms in high-tech and medium-tech sectors in Spain, with a special view to the influence of VET schools on innovation processes in companies. The national vocational training reform aims at greater vocational training subsystem integration and more cooperation between the educational system and companies. This reform encourages VET centres to contribute to innovation in enterprises, especially manufacturing SMEs. However, the organizational models used by industrial enterprises and the relationships between VET schools and enterprises hinder such contributions. This paper analyzes the mechanisms for transferring knowledge and/or innovation from VET schools to companies. A case study conducted to this end in the regions of Aragon and Catalonia is reported, with this paper presenting the results for Catalonia. Semi-structured interviews with VET schools and collaborating companies reveal what kind of relationships there are and how VET schools, students and graduates can contribute to innovation in companies. Limited impact by the vocational training system is observed in companies’ innovation processes. However, some factors are found that make a greater transfer capacity possible, such as high social cohesion in the region, strong collaboration and trust between the school and the enterprise, a de-emphasis on hierarchy in company organization and an emphasis on interactive innovation strategy at collaborating companies.