By focusing on training "with companies and for companies", ATEC is adapting the German dual education methodology, which combines learning in academia with experience in the workplace, with which the promoting companies have already had extensive experience in Germany. In order to achieve these objectives, ATEC also had the support of the Portuguese government, in particular the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training, with which it established a cooperation agreement.
Having started its training activities in 2004 with funded professional courses aimed at unemployed young people and adults, it wasn't long before ATEC extended its reach to the business sector by offering training and consultancy for companies on technical, continuous improvement and organisational topics.
With more than 6,000 graduates and employability rates of over 90% in funded vocational training, ATEC's growth "is very positive", says João Costa, the institution's director-general. In addition to its headquarters in Palmela, ATEC also has a unit in Matosinhos and two decentralised centers in Almada and Cascais. ATEC's mission is also fulfilled thanks to the 480 or so partner companies that guarantee that trainees will receive internships, "demonstrating the recognition and trust that the job market places in ATEC", stresses João Costa.
Promoting more than 1 million hours of training every year, demand for ATEC's services from companies "has been growing substantially, both for catalog training and for tailor-made products," he adds.
Over the last two decades, ATEC has therefore established itself as "a benchmark in the region and in the country", recognizes João Costa. "ATEC has played an important role in supplying skilled labour in the region and is the option not only for young people who don't feel comfortable in traditional education, but also for all those who want to finish secondary school prepared to enter professional life. For those already in the job market, ATEC has created the conditions for them to take their careers in a new direction through additional qualifications, either through funded training or training promoted by their employers," explains ATEC's director-general.
With ATEC's training offer focusing mainly on five major areas - IT, electronics, automation, industrial mechanics, sustainable energies and automobile mechatronics - the rapid technological evolution also means that the content has to be constantly revised in order to keep up with the needs of companies. "One example is the recent creation of a training area focused on sustainable energies, due to the high demand for professionals in this area. Investing in new technologies is another challenge, in order to be able to recreate real work situations in the training environment," points out João Costa. Understanding that "keeping up with technological evolution is fundamental, along with adapting training methodologies to the new generations", ATEC is also proud to have contributed "with new courses for the National Qualification Catalog in key areas".
In this regard, João Costa highlights "the specialisation courses in Energy Management and Control and in Cybersecurity, as well as ATEC's participation in the ALLBATS Programme, promoted by the European Community, which aims to identify skills and develop training content for the electric battery sector, and in the ERASMUS+ cooperation programmes".
In order to be able to predict and adapt to the training needs of the region and the country "at any given time", ATEC's activity also depends on the "availability of reliable and flexible information and communications systems". With training units far from the headquarters, "it is essential that all systems work properly so as not to jeopardize ATEC's training activities and for several years now MEO Empresas has been our technological partner in this challenge," says João Costa.