Brazil is Latin America's largest economy and has great potential for the expansion of sustainable economic sectors and climate protection. The Brazilian government is therefore currently focusing on a green and socially responsible economic transformation, e.g. through the expansion of renewable energies and investments in the bioeconomy and circular economy. However, parts of the Brazilian vocational education and training (VET) system are not yet sufficiently prepared to qualify the skilled workers needed in these sustainable economic sectors. In addition, access to VET offers and employment is fraught with difficulties for large parts of the population. National initiatives are intended to expand and improve the quality of VET by aligning it closer to the labor market needs.
The objective of the 2nd phase of the cooperation project is to improve the employment prospects of vocational education and training graduates, especially women and vulnerable groups, in sustainability sectors of the Brazilian economy.
To this end, the project continues to advise the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC), the Ministry of Labour (MTE), the National Service Provider for Industrial Apprenticeship (SENAI) as well as public and private vocational education and training providers on how to implement needs-based education and training in sustainable sectors of the economy.
To this end, (1) decision-makers in VET and employment promotion will be trained in topics related to just transition, labour market orientation and digitalization, (2) VET courses in renewable energies, bioeconomy and circular economy developed in the first phase of the project will be disseminated and anchored, and (3) the transition from school to employment will be promoted. Women and vulnerable groups are particularly in focus, as is close cooperation with companies.