ETIC_Algarve took vocational training to Madrid at the VET Skills Competition

ETIC_Algarve’s participation in the VET Skills Competition in Madrid once again demonstrated how vocational training and the Erasmus+ Programme can help trainees go further, beyond Portugal. This international competition brought together vocational students from various European countries to spend a week developing projects in multidisciplinary teams, applying technical skills, creativity, critical thinking and collaborative working.

At this year’s event, ETIC_Algarve was represented by a team of trainees from various creative fields, highlighting the importance of vocational training as a practical, up-to-date response to the challenges of the real world.

This year’s event took place at IES Puerta Bonita, the Centre for Audiovisual and Graphic Design Training, in Madrid, and brought together institutions from various countries, including:

• ETIC, Lisbon
• Medien College Berlin, Germany
• ENAC ETS Ente Nazionale Canossiano, Italy

What is the VET Skills Competition?

The VET Skills Competition is more than just an activity under the Erasmus+ Programme; it is an annual international challenge in which students from various creative and technical fields work together in multidisciplinary teams to develop a project based on a current and socially relevant theme, in line with the European Commission’s guidelines.

Throughout the week, participants were challenged to:

• work in multicultural teams;
• to respond to a common briefing;
• develop creative solutions that make a difference;
• improve communication and collaboration skills;
• submit proposals that demonstrate technical quality and strategic thinking.

It is precisely in this context that vocational training demonstrates its ability to transform learning into action, talent into projects, and knowledge into concrete responses to contemporary challenges.

The theme of this year’s edition: radicalism, disinformation and social media

In this edition, the challenge set for participants focused on a particularly pressing issue: ‘The rise of radicalism and disinformation in Europe: the influence of AI and social media’.

Over the course of this week, the teams had to create awareness campaigns aimed at young Europeans aged 16 to 25, with the aim of promoting critical thinking regarding the information circulating on social media.

This was a challenging, topical and deeply relevant subject for a generation that lives surrounded by a constant stream of content, stimuli and messages. In addressing this issue, the participants did not merely develop a creative project: they also reflected on citizenship, digital responsibility and media literacy.

Vocational training with a European dimension

ETIC_Algarve’s participation in this international competition highlighted the value of vocational training as a learning model focused on practical application, problem-solving and the preparation of professionals capable of working in a European context.

Experiences such as this enabled the trainees to:

• apply skills in an international environment;
• work under pressure and towards specific goals;
• work in multicultural teams;
• develop critical, strategic and creative thinking;
• to engage with new methodologies and approaches to work.

In an ever-changing market, these experiences have helped to build skills that extend far beyond the classroom. Dealing with international challenges has strengthened their independence, adaptability, confidence and communication skills – qualities that are increasingly valued in both academic and professional careers.

The ETIC_Algarve students who represented the school in Madrid

Representing ETIC_Algarve, six trainees from different fields were in Madrid, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of this competition:

• Rafael Alvarez – Video Games Course 24|25
• Beatriz Reis – Production, Film and TV Course 24|26
• Margarida Gomes – Professional Photography Course 24|26
• António Lima – Digital Marketing and Communication Design Course 24|26
• Francisco Guerreiro – Course in Music Composition, Production and Sound Techniques 24|26
• Diva Rodrigues – Communication and Multimedia Design Course 24|26

The delegation was accompanied by:

• Ana Narciso, trainer
• Virgínia Inácio, Erasmus+ and Career Integration Officer

This diversity of profiles demonstrated how vocational training promotes active learning, technical specialisation and collaboration between different creative fields.

An experience that went far beyond the competition

Taking part in the VET Skills Competition wasn’t just about competing. It was about having a life-changing international experience.

Throughout the week, the ETIC_Algarve trainees worked side by side with students from other countries, exchanged ideas, adapted to new ways of working and tackled a creative challenge with significant social relevance. This process contributed not only to their technical development, but also to the personal, cultural and professional growth of each participant.

For many young people, this was also an opportunity to see first-hand how vocational training can open doors to real-world, international experiences that are in line with today’s demands.

From Verona to Madrid: continuing our international commitment

ETIC_Algarve’s presence in Madrid followed the school’s debut at the VET Skills Competition in Verona, Italy, in 2025, a participation that had already demonstrated the positive impact of this type of initiative on the trainees’ career paths.

This initial experience confirmed the importance of incorporating international projects into the training programme, creating opportunities to engage with other educational contexts, new methodologies and creative challenges at a European level.

In Madrid, ETIC_Algarve once again reaffirmed its commitment to this approach, consolidating a vision of vocational training linked to practical experience, mobility and preparation for an increasingly demanding and global market.

Erasmus+ and internationalisation in vocational education and training

ETIC_Algarve’s involvement in the Erasmus+ programme has been essential in creating opportunities that enrich the students’ learning experience and strengthen the school’s international dimension.

Projects such as the VET Skills Competition have not only helped to develop technical skills, but have also sparked an interest in future mobility opportunities, international work placements and European collaborative projects.

In this context, practical learning has also established itself as a gateway to international experiences that have a real impact on academic, personal and professional development.

Why was this involvement important for young people?

For many young people aged between 18 and 25, choosing an educational path also means choosing the kind of experiences they want to have and the kind of future they want to build.

ETIC_Algarve’s participation in international initiatives such as this one has sent a clear message: that vocational training can be dynamic, creative, challenging and closely linked to the real world.

This was particularly relevant for those seeking training in the creative sectors and wishing to develop skills that can be put to practical use in the job market, both nationally and internationally.

ETIC_Algarve – practical, creative training with a contemporary focus

Participation in the VET Skills Competition in Madrid reflected what defines ETIC_Algarve: a school focused on practical skills, creativity, a multidisciplinary approach and preparing students for real-world challenges.

By bringing together students from different disciplines in an international project with social relevance, this experience proved to be transformative, relevant to today’s world, and focused on developing skills that make a real difference.

More than just representing the school, these trainees represented a generation that is learning to put theory into practice, growing as a team and preparing to engage with the world in a critical and creative way.

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