Apprenticeship in Andorra

The main formal pathways are Formació Professional Inicial (FPI), which leads to the Diploma de Formació Professional Inicial (DPI) at MAQ level 2, and Batxillerat Professional (BP) at MAQ level 4. The Andorran Qualifications Framework (MAQ) distinguishes the level of the qualification. FPI normally lasts two years and comprises 1,750 hours, including 400 hours of company placement. It prepares learners for supervised operari or auxiliar work. Current FPI profiles include Auxiliar d'Estètica i Perruqueria, Operador Informàtic i Assistent d'Atenció a l'Usuari en TIC, Auxiliar de Manteniment d'Habitatges i Instal·lacions and Auxiliar de Serveis Comercials. BP normally lasts two years and comprises 2,000 hours, including 220 hours in a company. It prepares learners for Tècnic de Suport or Tècnic Auxiliar work. The programmes documented for 2024/25 include Activitats Físiques, Esportives i de Lleure, Cures Auxiliars d'Infermeria, Gestió Administrativa, Secretariat Multilingüe, Sociocomunitari, Suport Desenvolupament d'Aplicacions and Suport Sistemes Informàtics i Xarxes. Some DEP programmes still appear in transitional or older listings, including Activitats Físiques, Esportives i de Lleure and Secretariat Multilingüe, so the current programme announcement determines the available offer. FPI access generally requires Andorran citizenship, legal residence or a study permit, completion of at least the third year of Segona Ensenyança, and an age above 16 and below 19. A learner under 16 may enter only with permission from the Labour Inspectorate and a report from the previous school. Places are allocated through reorientation and pre-registration, with learners in the third and fourth years normally considered before other applicants. BP access under Decret 309/2024 requires legal status and the Graduat en Segona Ensenyança or an equivalent DPI. A current service page also mentions at least age 18 and a DEP or equivalent, creating a discrepancy that should be checked in the applicable call for applications. Both formal programmes combine teaching at a vocational centre with mandatory Estada formativa a l'Empresa. The placement applies learned tasks in a real work setting and can take place in Andorra or in a neighbouring territory when an agreement exists. A designated professional reference person supervises the placement, whose progress, validation and possible recognition are regulated. The placement is unpaid and does not create a regular employment relationship. Attendance at lessons is mandatory. A two-year cycle can take up to three years, with exceptions for documented health reasons or Conava decisions, and individual adaptations are possible for special educational needs. Operational vocational centres include the Centre de Formació Professional d'Aixovall in Sant Julià de Lòria, the Centre de Formació Professional de La Massana and EFPEM in Ordino. The responsible public administration is the Ministeri de Relacions Institucionals, Educació i Universitats through the Departament de Formació Professional. The Area d'Exàmens Oficials and the Comitè tècnic oversee examinations, while the Servei d'Inspecció de Treball handles employment-related apprenticeship contracts. A Centre de Formació d'Aprenents appears in an older structural source, but its current operation is not confirmed. Assessment is global, individual and continuous, with a final certifying result. The competence scale uses A, B, C, D and NA: A, B and C indicate developed competence, D indicates that competence is not developed, and NA indicates that it was not assessed. The DPI prova certificadora includes written, practical and oral parts and is held annually from January to June, with a recovery sitting in September from 2025. BP uses the POBPRO assessment, with written, practical and oral components plus projects. Candidates who do not pass have a maximum of three consecutive subsequent convocatories. The Ministry issues the qualification and records it in the state register. For the 2026 POBPRO, registration runs from 29 January to 13 February, examinations from 27 April to 21 May, results on 11 June and recovery examinations from 1 to 10 September. The Contracte d'aprenentatge is a separate non-formal and labour-law pathway. It allows a minor to learn an oficio under an official contract submitted to the Servei d'Inspecció de Treball. The form costs €1.09 and requires identification, immigration permits for the minor and legal representative where applicable, and a medical fitness certificate. The contract records its duration, remuneration, working hours, oficio and the responsible training and safety person, including that person's qualifications and professional experience. Employment is prohibited below age 15. From age 14, an apprenticeship contract is permitted only within the school-integrated socio-pedagogical programme until compulsory schooling ends. From age 15, only age-appropriate light work is permitted. For people under 18, work between 22:00 and 06:00, overtime and dangerous work are generally prohibited; an exception for dangerous work requires that it be indispensable for vocational training and include special supervision and safety measures. Adults can seek recognition through VAE, the validation of acquired experience within non-tertiary education. Applicants generally need Andorran citizenship or legal or cross-border residence, at least three years of relevant work or education experience in Andorra or abroad, and no already recognised equivalent qualification. The process includes administrative admission, professional guidance, optional coaching of up to ten hours, a competence dossier and a jury assessment based on the dossier, a professional interview and, where required, a practical examination. Partial recognition is possible, with up to three years allowed to complete remaining competencies. The initial assessment fee is €339.25 and the fee for a further or remaining-competence assessment is €203.55. Published VAE dossiers currently include TCAI, TSOCO and TSGA. DEP and BP pages also mention candidat lliure and REVEP with 36 months of experience; their relationship with current VAE arrangements should be confirmed during the transition. The Centre de Formació al Llarg de la Vida offers supplementary vocational updating and examination preparation for people over 16. These activities are free but do not automatically grant a DPI or BP qualification. A current public tuition tariff for formal vocational education is not confirmed here. Study grants for non-tertiary vocational education may cover enrolment, materials, meals, transport or vocational training abroad, depending on the specific call; applications for 2026/27 are scheduled from 10 June to 15 July, and eligibility and amounts depend on that call. VAE fees are separate. The provisional 2024/25 figures record 314 vocational learners, including 286 at Aixovall and 28 at La Massana.