EU funding and the Pact for Skills help Andalusian workers in the aerospace industry

A new training centre in La Rinconada near Seville, Spain, is helping students to shape the aerospace industry of the future. Showcasing their efforts, Euronews travelled to Andalusia to learn more about how the centre is preparing students and mid-career workers for a career in the aerospace industry. 

As part of a broader European Social Fund Plus initiative, which provided €99.4 million in funding, the CPIFP Javier Imbroda institute offers practical, hands-on learning, giving young people and mid-career workers the tools to join the aerospace industry.

As part of the Pact for Skills, the institute aligns education with labour market needs while expanding access across age groups. With a focus on mobility, women, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers, it embodies the Union of Skills initiative – helping students and workers wanting to change career paths gain the training they need to launch careers that span across Europe.

The institute is the largest vocational education project in Andalusia and represents a broader EU effort to close skills gaps across industries. 

‘In a mid-level vocational training programme, you graduate with a lot of experience, and you are ready to enter the workforce,’ Pablo Paredes Cayuso, a student at the institute, tells Euronews. ‘I’m really excited about the possibility of moving to different countries thanks to the institute providing me with internships and training with different tools.’

The institute also provides opportunities for people seeking a career change to pursue their professional goals. Sonia Parrado Garcia previously worked in the clothing industry before joining the programme and values the support it offers to people seeking a new path.  

‘This school is giving a chance to people of my age, people who already have a life with certain responsibilities,’ Sonia explains. ‘I’m balancing work with taking care of my children. I also believe that the school can open doors for my children’s future, so they can have a better life.’

Eulogio Garcia Martinez, Director of the CPIFP Javier Imbroda institute, explained to Euronews the transformative impact of European funding and support on the region and its learners, describing them as a major step forward in improving quality for the area and its students. 

He also sees growing potential for a new way of cooperation between the institute and local businesses: ‘We offer companies a different kind of collaboration, where we are seen as partners when it comes to promoting training within their businesses.’

In an interview for the episode, Melanie Durth, Innovation Manager at Andalusia Aerospace Cluster, which is involved in the Regional Skills Partnership for the Iberian Peninsula, discussed the benefits of partnering with CIPFP to develop and strengthen aerospace competencies and skills: ‘The Pact for Skills is a great opportunity to connect with training centres, universities across Europe, and authorities and sector associations – all working together to develop new skills within the industry.’

Since its launch in 2020, the Pact has helped train 6.1 million workers and is aiming to reach 25 million by 2030.

Watch the full episode here