Training and certification under labour competency standards. INFOTEP. República Dominicana
It promotes the entry of young students into the labour world and updating workers' skills by offering distance courses on contemporary topics which are present in the training of all professional occupations.
- Any one older than 16 years old.
- Young people, female and male workers with little working experience.
- Men and women qualified in mid-level management.
- Managers of small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Enterprises, entrepreneurial associations, trade unions, clusters and NGOs.
- Teaching and senior staff of training centres.
The National Institute of Technical Vocational Training (INFOTEP) was created in 1980 in order to direct, regulate and manage the National System of Technical Vocational Training for work and, in 1998, adopted the competency-based training model.
It has broadened the range of rendered services. It offers different vocational training modalities: dual training, qualification / requalification training, lifelong training at centres, technical teacher training and virtual training. It offers training and counselling services to promote small and medium-sized enterprises. It provides counselling, assistance and instruction on training, technical and methodological updating processes for teachers and on labour competency-based curricular design.
It has validation and occupational certification services as well as a calibration and/or verification services of measurement instruments and equipment.
It implements a market of vocational technical training services by means of training actions carried out by third party institutions called "operational centres of the system" either directly or through bidding processes. By giving support to centres it is possible to ensure modernization and quality of the training offer. It encourages the articulation of productive sectors by creating advising committees, technical commissions, planning committees and entrepreneurial evaluation commissions.
It uses the system of measurement and improvement for productivity (SIMAPRO) in order to link vocational training with productivity.
By applying a comprehensive approach to training, INFOTEP promotes citizenship, moral values and actions that foster gender equality. The institute has developed a quality management system with monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for continuous improvement.
- Tripartite management.
- Training is carried out by third party institutions.
- Training and counselling services are diversified according to the different target population, whether individuals or groups.
- Competency-based training.
- Building up a network of training institutions.
- Participation of social partners.
- Gender equality.
- Use of ICTs.
- Quality management system.
- ISO 9001:2000 certification obtained in 2005.
Up to 2008:
- More than 17,000 training actions and 306,000 graduates.
- 192 institutions accredited by INFOTEP as operational centres of the system.
- 40 per cent of INFOTEP's training offer is provided through these institutions.
