THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT AND THE NORTH AMERICAN COMPANY STRATASYS SIGN AN AGREEMENT FOR 3D-PRINTING TRAINING

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·         By means of this agreement, Formación Profesional del País Vasco (Vocational Education and Training of the Basque Country) is becoming a certified training agent for the North American company, worldwide leader in 3D printer manufacturing

·         Currently, this company sells approximately 60% of professional printers throughout the world

·         The agreement is the result of the trip taken by Education Minister of the Basque Government Uriarte to Minnesota in April 2016

 

During the Jornadas Internacionales de Formación Profesional (International Vocational Education and Training Workshops) being held these few days in the Kursaal Palace of San Sebastián, the Vocational Education and Training Deputy Minister of the Basque Government, Jorge Arévalo, and representatives from the company Stratasys attending the event, signed a collaboration agreement by means of which the training given by Formación Profesional de Euskadi (Vocational Education and Training of the Basque Country) on 3D printing will be accredited by the North American company Stratasys.

Currently, Stratasys is the world leader in manufacturing professional 3D printers, and sells around 60% of this professional machinery around the world.

The main result of this agreement is that VET in Euskadi, through Tknika shall provide training on how to handling 3D printing and its applications, and shall issue this manufacturer’s official certification, recognised throughout the world, to students or professionals who receive training in one of its modalities.

This is hugely important not only for Basque students and professionals, but also for the Basque Country’s business fabric itself. On one hand, students or professionals who receive this professional 3D printing training and obtain the official certification from the manufacturer will be more employable, with professional possibilities in a field with ever-increasing demand, and accrediting specific knowledge of printers that are widespread throughout the business world. And at the same time, Basque companies and SMEs that are beginning to work in this field will be able to find qualified professionals.

However, the cooperation agreement will also contribute to Basque Vocational Education and Training’s international projection. Every year, hundreds of foreign students come to Euskadi’s VET centres to carry out specific courses and enrich their training. These students receive certification that is recognised all around the world, which helps to establish Basque VET training programmes and make them more attractive internationally.

Currently, Tknika is participating in developing a training catalogue along with Stratasys and different players from Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States, countries where this certification model will also be piloted.

First steps in Minnesota

The process leading up to signing this agreement began during the trip taken by the Minister of Education of the Basque Government, Cristina Uriarte, and the VET Deputy Minister, Jorge Arévalo, to Minnesota (United States) in April 2016. The result of the first points of contact established on this occasion with representatives from the United States company headquartered in Minnesota, was the agreement that took shape during the Jornadas Internacionales de Formación Profesional (International VET Workshops) being held in San Sebastian. Indeed, during these international workshops, Ido Eylon, Stratasys’ Global Education Solution Business Unit Head, gave a conference on 3D printing additive manufacturing.