An updated view of graduate employment
The 2023 Work Placement Study of Vocational Education, prepared by the General Council of Chambers of Catalonia, reveals relevant data on the employment of graduates. According to this study, approximately 64% of graduates have an indefinite contract, a figure that has increased by 2.44 percentage points compared to the previous year. In addition, the employment rate has increased to 54.49%.
The situation of youth employment
The general director of Professional Training, Mercè Chacón, has highlighted that the employment of graduates between the ages of 16 and 24 is 11.57%, a figure significantly lower than youth unemployment during the survey, which was 22.08 %. Unfortunately, there is still a gender gap in wages, with women earning less than 1,200 euros net.
Variation in unemployment according to the studies completed
The study highlights that unemployment varies according to the studies completed by graduates. For example, graduates of training and placement (PFI) programs have an unemployment rate of 20.70%, while graduates of visual arts and design have a rate of 13.52%. In addition, 10.7% of graduates with a higher degree are looking for work, while this figure is 12% for graduates with an average degree.
Continuity of training and employment situation
The study highlights a decrease in educational continuity, with a rate that has gone from 52.67% in 2022 to 54.15% in 2023. This can be explained by the fact that many graduates have entered the labor market. According to the study, 35.76% of respondents were working, while 18.74% were studying and working.
Work placement for professional families
The study highlights that 19 of the 24 professional families have a job placement rate of over 60%. The professional families with better job placement are energy and water (73.79%), maritime and fishing (65.69%), installation and maintenance (65.28%) and hotel and tourism (64.23%), among others
The success of the FP Dual
The study highlights the success of the FP Dual, with a job placement rate of 66.29%, which is almost five points higher than the previous year. In addition, the number of students enrolled in this modality has increased considerably. The Minister of Education, Anna Simó, has highlighted the importance of knowing the shortcomings of Dual Vocational Training in order to be able to take the appropriate measures.
The Government’s commitment to FP
The Minister for Business and Work, Roger Torrent, has stated that VET profiles are a basic tool for the competitiveness of companies. The Government has doubled the resources allocated to VET and aims to make this decade the decade of VET, with policies that promote this training.
Figures on VET graduates
According to the study, during the 2021-2022 school year there were 60,098 VET graduates, 12.1% more than the previous year. Of these, 34,186 had a middle degree (15.5% more) and 25,912 had a higher degree (7.9% more). The study has analyzed the employment and training situation of these graduates through more than 30,000 surveys.