Technology Specialization Courses in ICT

The Technology Specialization Courses (CET) aim at post-secondary vocational education of  level 5.

The successful completion of such a course provides a Technology Specialization Diploma (DET), which gives access to a Professional Aptitude Certificate issued under the National System of Professional Certification, under the conditions established by the Decreto Regulamentar n.º 68/96 (text in Portuguese) , of 26 November.

The Decreto-Lei n.º 88/2006 (text in Portuguese) , of May 23, established a profound reorganization of the CET reagarding access, training structure, possibility of DET awarding through evaluation of acquired skills and conditions of access to higher education for their graduates. The Portaria n.º 782/2009 (text in Portuguese), of July 23, regulates the National Qualifications Framework and defines the national skill levels descriptors.

The CET may be approved by three ministries: Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education.

In December 2010, 16 CET were offered in areas of ICT at vocational training centers in 8 different locations connected to the Employment and Vocational Training Institute (IEFP) in the following topics:

• 7 in Networks and Computer Systems Management
• 4 in Computer Applications in Management
• 3 in Automation, Robotics and Industrial Control
• 1 in Information Systems Technology and Programming
• 1 in Telecommunications and Networks.

In December 2010, 8 CET were offered in ICT subjects in 4 vocational schools and 2 other entities connected to the Ministry of Education, in 6 different locations, on the following topics:

• 4 in Computer Applications in Management
• 3 in Automation, Robotics and Industrial Control
• 1 in Networks and Computer Systems Management.

In December 2010, 98 CET were offered in institutions of higher education in ICT subjects which were created in the period 2007-2010 (20% of the CET in all areas), in 33 locations, involving 34 institutions, with 63 of the courses being offered by polytechnics and 35 by universities, 68% at public education institutions and 32% at private and cooperative education institutions, and in 19 subjects. These courses addressed the following topics:

• 18 in Networks and Computer Systems Installation and Maintenance
• 15 in Multimedia Products Development
• 12 in Information Systems Technologies and Programming
• 11 in Computer Applications in Management
• 8 in Automation, Robotics and Industrial Control
• 5 in Website Construction and Management
• 5 in Software Development and System Administration
• 5 in Networks and Computer Systems Management
• 3 in Industrial Maintenance (Electronics and Automation)
• 3 in Telecommunications and Networks
• 2 in Electronics and Telecommunications
• 2 in Web Applications Programming
• 2 in Electronic Systems and Computers
• 1 in each one of the following topics: Information Systems Development, Naval Electronics and Automation, Information Technology, Local Computer Networks Design and Installation, Data Bases Technical Specialist.

The offer of CET on ICT subjects in higher education institutions had a major expansion in recent years. In fact, at the end of 2010 there were 98 CET, at 34 institutions of higher education institutions, in 33 locations, and on 19 subjects, while in 2005 there were 32 CET, at 16 higher education institutions, in 11 locations, and on 8 subjects. Thus, the CET on ICT in higher education institutions nearly tripled in number and locations, and more than doubled in institutions and subjects.

The number of students enrolled in CET of any area in higher education institutions has grown dramatically: in 2004/2005 there were only about 294 (217 in universities and 77 in polytechnics) and in 2009/2010 there were about 6,214 (1,211 in universities and 5,003 in polytechnics), i.e., there was a multiplication by more than 21 and, at the same time, a transfer of most of the supply of CET from universities to polytechnics (polytechnics in 2004/05 counted with 26% of the total of CET students enrolled in higher education institutions, and in 2009/2010 they accounted for were 81% of the total).

The vocational education in ICT in higher education institutions, predominantly in the polytechnics, is now a reality when it was practically nonexistent in 2005.