The myths surrounding vocational training have for too long influenced the educational decisions of thousands of students, limiting their potential and closing the door on extraordinary opportunities.
The reality is that vocational education is currently enjoying its finest hour. Enrolment in vocational education in Spain has risen over the last academic year. The 2024–2025 academic year saw an increase of 53,121 students in vocational training compared with the previous year, representing a rise of 4.7 per cent. In total, vocational training reached 1,188,901 enrolled students this academic year.
Table of contents
Myth 1: “Vocational training is easy and requires little effort”
Myth 2: “It only prepares you for low-skilled jobs”
Myth 3: “With vocational training, you’ll earn less money”
Myth 4: “It offers few career prospects”
Myth 5: “It doesn’t allow for professional development”
Myth 6: “It’s incompatible with university”
Myth 7: “It doesn’t offer international opportunities”
Myth 8: “It’s a second-rate option”
Myth 1: “Vocational training is easy and requires little effort”
One of the most damaging myths is the belief that Vocational Training is easy. This belief is not only false, but also demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the structure and demands of vocational training programmes.
The Vocational Training involves a course load of between 2,000 and 2,200 hours spread over two academic years. Students must master specific technical subjects, carry out complex projects and complete a work placement of at least 380 hours. Does that sound undemanding to you?
Let’s take the Advanced Vocational Training Programme in Cross-Platform Application Development. Students learn multiple programming languages, databases, interface design and agile development methodologies. Upon completion, they are able to create fully-fledged applications from scratch. This level of specialisation requires dedication, constant practice and a high level of concentration.
Myth 2: “It only prepares you for low-skilled jobs”
This prejudice stems from decades of misinformation. Today’s Vocational Training prepares specialised technicians for high-tech sectors with high labour demand.
The SEPE (State Public Employment Service) Occupations Observatory confirms the difficulty in filling vacancies in technical vocational training sectors, including:
- Cybersecurity and data protection
- Renewable energy and energy efficiency
- Robotics and industrial automation
- Biotechnology and clinical analysis
- Digital marketing and e-commerce
A Higher-Level Technician in Telecommunications Systems can design and implement complex corporate networks, manage IT security systems and optimise technological infrastructures. These responsibilities require a very high level of qualification and are far from being considered ‘basic jobs’.
Myth 3: “You’ll earn less money with vocational training”
The average starting salary for a holder of an Advanced Vocational Training qualification in Spain is usually in the range of approximately 18,000 to 22,000 euros gross per annum, depending on the sector and specialism, which corresponds to around 1,300 to 1,700 euros gross per month, depending on various factors.
A study by Adecco reveals that technical professions experience more stable pay rises than many traditional university degrees, due to high demand and the specialisation required.
Myth 4: “It offers few career prospects”
Vocational Training (FP) is a training option offering high employability and a genuine link to the labour market in Spain. FP comprises 26 professional fields and over 150 official qualifications, covering virtually all productive sectors.
According to data from the Ministry of Education and the SEPE’s Occupations Observatory, approximately 42 per cent of job vacancies in 2025 will specifically require VET qualifications, surpassing those requiring university degrees for the first time. The sectors with the highest demand are:
- IT and Communications: with an annual growth in vacancies of 15 per cent, demanding profiles in Application Development, Systems Administration and Cybersecurity.
- Healthcare: driven by an ageing population, with high demand for Laboratory Technicians, Diagnostic Imaging Technicians and Dental Hygienists.
- Energy and Water: due to the energy transition, opportunities are emerging in Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Water Management.
- Transport and Maintenance: the digitalisation of logistics requires technicians specialising in automated systems and industrial maintenance
Myth 5: “It does not allow for professional growth”
The reality completely disproves this belief. Vocational training graduates hold leadership positions in companies of all sizes, from tech start-ups to industrial multinationals.
The modern hierarchical structure values technical competence and problem-solving skills above academic qualifications. A Higher-Level Technician can progress to roles in supervision, team coordination, specialist consultancy or project management.
Continuing professional development also plays a crucial role. Vocational training graduates can specialise through specialist courses or professional certifications.
Myth 6: “It’s incompatible with university”
Graduates of the Higher Vocational Training programme can gain direct entry to university without sitting the PAU. If they wish to improve their admission mark, they may voluntarily sit this exam, but it is not compulsory.
Even more interesting is the credit transfer system. A student undertaking an Advanced Vocational Qualification related to their chosen university degree can have up to 60 ECTS credits recognised, thereby reducing the duration of their university studies by a full year.
This educational strategy is particularly effective for technical degree courses. For example, a Higher Technician in Multi-platform Application Development can complete a Computer Engineering in three years instead of four, arriving at university with a solid practical foundation that greatly facilitates theoretical learning.
Myth 7: “It doesn’t offer international opportunities”
The Erasmus+ programme is also available to vocational training students, enabling them to undertake work placements in companies in other European countries. This international experience enriches their CV and significantly improves their employability.
Countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom and France particularly value Spanish technical training. Vocational training graduates can access exchange programmes, international work placements and job opportunities abroad.
Myth 8: “It’s a second-rate option”
This social prejudice has no objective basis. Vocational Training follows a different pedagogical approach, focusing on applied learning and solving real-world problems.
Many bright students deliberately choose vocational training because they prefer a practical approach to a purely theoretical one. Their decision is based on self-awareness, vocational clarity and a strategic analysis of their career goals.
The Finnish education system, recognised worldwide for its excellence, integrates vocational education as a pathway equivalent to traditional academic studies. This perspective is gaining ground across Europe, including in Spain.
The reality of vocational education and training in 2025
Current data paints a very different picture from that suggested by these myths. The employment rate for graduates of Higher-Level Vocational Training stands at 79.5 per cent, according to the latest available figures from the Randstad Research report.
According to figures from *El Economista* and *Expansión* , approximately 70 per cent of vocational training students undertaking work placements under the dual system receive a job offer from the company where they have carried out their practical training. This percentage is particularly significant in companies that actively collaborate with the dual vocational training system, highlighting the close link between practical training and entry into the labour market.
Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 have exponentially increased the demand for specialised technical profiles. Emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things , virtual reality and blockchain require technicians with specific training that only vocational education and training can provide efficiently.
Conclusion: It is time to change our perspective
The evidence shows that these old myths about vocational training are not only false but are also detrimental to those seeking practical, employable training tailored to the current demands of the labour market.
Spain needs more specialised technicians to compete in the global economy, and Vocational Training is the most effective tool for training these professionals.
Your professional future does not depend on the social prestige of your qualification, but on the quality of your training, your dedication and your ability to adapt to an ever-changing labour market.
Do it at UAX!
