18-year-old electrician Marcos López chosen as the best in Spain

In Spain, the view that traditional university education does not guarantee employment is increasingly increasing the value of entrepreneurship and vocational training among young people. Many young people across the country are turning to acquiring a profession to gain the independence of their own business and realize their personal projects. Although entrepreneurs and freelancers advancing on this path have to face the risks and sacrifices that come with the process they experience, they state that their efforts and all the hard work they put in eventually bear fruit. In this context, the tendency of young people towards vocational technical training is no longer just an individual career choice, but is becoming an important trend for the country's economy.

A concrete and inspiring example of this trend is embodied in the story of 18-year-old Marcos López from the town of Abegondo in Spain's A Coruña province. Before even completing his first year in the Higher Technical Training program in Electrotechnical Systems, the young man who won first place in the 19th Young Installers Competition (XIX Concurso de Jóvenes Instaladores) organized by ASINEC, earned the title of A Coruña province's best young installer. As part of the competition, participants were tested on their knowledge with theoretical exams and were also asked to simulate live the installation of the electrical and telecommunications infrastructure of a fully equipped house. López boldly states that due to the intense demand and employment potential of the field, the electrical profession is the future and that today, having only a university degree guarantees nothing.

The biggest factor behind Marcos's success is the business world and strong practical infrastructure in which he has been immersed since childhood. Thanks to his father's electrical company named Electricidad Vilacoba, which operates in the region, the young man has grown up literally surrounded by cables, electrical panels, and the construction environment. However, it was not his father who taught Marcos the intricacies of the profession and guided him the most, but an employee named Carlitos, who has worked at the company for years and about whom he says, "I learned the most from him." This hands-on knowledge gained in the field, in real projects, provided the young installer with a serious advantage to get ahead of his rivals when he participated in a highly competitive professional competition.

López is not the only example of this new era developing in vocational schools and technical education; on the contrary, he is just one of the pioneering figures of this growing mass. There are currently 14 students studying in the young electrician's class, and interest in technical professions such as installation, electricity, carpentry, and plumbing is increasing at an incredible speed across Spain. The main reason for this momentum is that the need for a qualified workforce is at its peak today and vocational schools (FP) are regaining the prestige they lost against universities years ago. Factors such as energy transition, the rapid spread of solar panel systems, automation technologies in the industry, and the digitalization of housing have practically exploded the demand for educated electrical technicians in the country.

For the young professional, learning a trade means a direct and uninterrupted employment opportunity, an advantage that brings with it a guarantee that even most university graduates cannot easily attain. As he personally observes from his father's business, the sector's increasing need for more qualified personnel every day triggers young people to turn to this field; additionally, encountering a different technical problem in each project makes the profession extremely dynamic and educational. In addition to his entrepreneurial spirit and technical skills, Marcos emphasizes human relations in the working environment, drawing attention to the importance of the bond of fellowship among young people. In his words, the strong culture of people helping each other within this sector stands out as an extremely attractive detail for other young people who will prefer to make a career in his field.