The Vocational Education and Training of Early Childhood Education and Care Professionals: Weaknesses and Strengths of the Dual Model

Dual Vocational Education and Training (Dual VET) is a structured professional qualification model that combines training in educational institutions or vocational centers with practical experience in a real work environment. It involves a regime of alternance between productive activity within a company and formal learning, aiming to ensure the comprehensive development of profesional competences.

The expansion of Dual VET in Europe has largely been driven by its potential to bridge the gap between education and employment, aligning training with labor market demands and strengthening connections between students and companies. This rationale has led countries like Spain to undertake significant reforms in their Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems, integrating Dual VET as a core component of vocational training.

However, if Dual VET is to be considered a core model, its implementation may present specific challenges in fields less aligned with traditional labor market dynamics, such as care-oriented and social sector professions. In the case of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) training, the logic that typically underpins Dual VET does not translate directly. Unlike industries where Dual VET is traditionally implemented, ECEC belongs to the sociocultural and community services sector, where organizational priorities are guided by educational and social values rather than predominantly economic drivers. This distinction highlights the need to examine how Dual VET can be effectively structured in professional fields that operate under different logics, offering a valuable perspective on its adaptability and the importance of context-sensitive approaches.

Originality of this Special Issue

While most research on Dual VET has focused on fields such as business, industry, and STEM, this Issue addresses a critical gap by examining how the model operates in professions with different employment dynamics. Through a comparative lens, we will shed light on the adaptability of Dual VET across diverse professional contexts, contributing to broader discussions on its transferability. Additionally, this research will enhance understanding of how Dual VET reforms are being implemented in Southern Europe, where the adaptation of German-language models requires sensitivity to distinct socio-economic and institutional frameworks, offering insights into how dual training can be effectively integrated into a wider range of professional sectors.

Societal impact

This Issue aligns with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 4 (Quality Education), by promoting high-quality vocational training for future ECEC professionals.
• SGD5 (Gender Equality), by addressing gender gaps in vocational education, the feminization of ECE, and the role of men in childcare.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), by enhancing employment pathways for ECEC technicians through work-based learning models.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for Goals), by analyzing the role of multi-stakeholder collaboration in Dual FP, particularly in sociocultural and community-oriented professions.

Dr. Laura M. Guerrero Puerta
Dr. Mónica Torres Sánchez
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Jimenez
Guest Editors

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• Dual Vocational Education and Training；Dual VET；