Agbar receives the Alliance for Dual Vocational Training Award for its contribution to the employability of young people in the water sector
The seventh edition of the Alliance for Dual Vocational Training Award, organized by the Bertelsmann Foundation, together with the CEOE Foundation, was held today at CEOE's headquarters in Madrid. Agbar won the award in the Big Company category, acknowledging the group's commitment to this type of training, which contributes to quality employment for young people in the water sector. The award was accepted by Toni Bru, Agbar's Director of People and Organization.
The Alliance for Dual Vocational Training Award recognizes Agbar’s track record in promoting the development of this training method in Spain, in collaboration with public administrations and schools in different autonomous regions (Catalonia, Galicia, the Canary Islands, Madrid, Murcia, Andalusia and the Community of Valencia).
This Award acknowledges “Agbar’s firm commitment to Dual Vocational Training, which has been persistently and sustainably promoted over time, to the extent that it has been deployed in the different areas where we are present, as part of our dedication to talent and quality employment”, emphasized Toni Bru, Agbar’s Director of People and Organization, who received the Award from CEOE’s President Antonio Garamendi, the entity hosting the gala.
With Dual Vocational Training, the company is involved in how the training is organized beyond the traditional internships, offering valuable curricular content that may be learned at the workplace. Thus, Agbar has promoted the design of sector-specific training cycles such as the Intermediate Level Training Cycle in Water Networks and Stations and the Higher-Level Training Cycle in Water Management, in different secondary education schools, with the collaboration of the group’s operators in Spain and under the coordination and educational support of the Water School.
The deployment of Dual Vocational Training, which is a type of vocational training that alternates between the school and the company, is part of a comprehensive professional qualification model promoted by Agbar that includes continuous training at the company, the accreditation of professional skills and the incorporation of qualified young talent to the sector.
This model has made it possible, for example, to reinforce an innovative vision regarding quality digital learning, offering specific courses on the different processes involved in the full water cycle and specific training stages for Dual Vocational Training teachers. In addition, company tutors have been trained through workshops organized in collaboration with the Bertelsmann Foundation; expert professionals have been in charge of teaching at the educational centres; and technical visits have been organized to several of the group’s comprehensive water cycle facilities
“This award is, primarily, a lever to reinforce our integrated professional qualification strategy, which is based on Dual Training as the key to attracting and training young talent in our field,” added Toni Bru.
The Alliance for Dual Vocational Training Award was created in 2017 by the Bertelsmann Foundation to acknowledge and reward the best projects that reflect and promote a commitment to Dual Vocational Training in Spain. The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness among the business community, schools, organizations, and society as a whole of the need to promote quality Dual Vocational Training in Spain, which contributes to reducing youth unemployment, improving competitiveness and bringing the business and education worlds closer.