Following the signature of the new “Agreement on Vocational Training and Qualification”, signed July 2021 in the Standing Committee for Social Dialogue (Comissão Permanente de Concertação Social –  CPCS), Portugal created Dual VET level 5 courses under the Apprenticeship system, through Ordinance n. 70/2022 of 2, February, increasing the range of non-higher post-secondary level qualification modalities.

The programme is named Apprenticeship +, confers double certification, scholar and Vocational (Level V of the National Qualification Framework (Quadro Nacional de Qualificações – NQF).

The Apprenticeship system has now two types of courses, and the age of access was extended from 25 years old to 29 years old: Apprenticeship courses Level 4, accessible to people aged 15 to 25 years old, and Apprenticeship +, courses Level 5 accessible to people aged 18 to 29 years old.

People accessing Level 5 Apprenticeship + courses must have an upper secondary education course or a legally equivalent qualification, or who have concluded the lower secondary education level and are attending one of the education or training modalities or a process of recognition, validation and certification of competences (RVCC), of secondary level.

Within this Ordinance the National Committee for Apprenticeship (Comissão Nacional de Aprendizagem – CNA) was created (reactivated), following social partner’s proposals and expectations with the signature of the New Agreement for Vocational Training and Qualifications.

The CNA has a tripartite composition comprising, its competencies are to monitor the execution and the evaluation of the apprenticeship courses.

With the agreement of the social partners with a seat on the CPCS, that have been heard on this matter, the composition, and organisation and functioning of the CNA will be defined by joint order of the members of the Government responsible for the areas of education and vocational training.