Qualifica centres

Qualifica Centres are coordinated by an individual designated by the centre's organising body.  This person is responsible for institutional representation, as well as ensuring proper operation in terms of educational, organisational and financial management. The coordinator should hold higher education qualifications and have experience in managing educational and training processes.

Whenever the Qualifica Centre is organised by a school cluster or a non-clustered school, the respective coordinator cannot combine these duties with those of a head teacher of a school cluster or non-clustered school.

As part of the strategic plan, it is the Qualifica Centre coordinator’s responsibility:

• to forge partnerships with bodies that are important in the field of qualification and employment, as well as ensuring permanent activity and monitoring, in order to maximise the relevance, effectiveness and social utility of services the centre provides.
• to foster partnerships with employers, in order to promote lifelong learning, including the improvement, specialisation and retraining of employees, as well as organising internship proposals and training opportunities in a work context.
• to coordinate the strategic intervention plan and draft the activity report, in conjunction with partner organisations and other team members.
• to coordinate the collection, treatment and systematic dissemination of information regarding businesses, employment and qualification opportunities for young people and adults.
• to make all relevant information available and collaborate with the competent authority regarding the qualification and supervision network and monitoring of respective provision.

In operational terms, the coordinator is also responsible for:

• managing the team and developing its potential to ensure that the Qualifica Centre complies with its duties, encouraging innovation, quality and services geared towards candidates and the employment market.
• implementing systematic self-assessment mechanisms able to assess the quality of interventions and user satisfaction.
• making the information necessary for the supervision, monitoring and external evaluation of the activity available, according to the guidelines.
• adopting measures that enhance Qualifica Centre services, considering the results of self-assessment and external review processes.
• ensuring the reliability of the information recorded in the Information and Management System of the Education and Training Provision (Sistema de Informação e Gestão da Oferta Educativa e Formativa - SIGO).
• ensuring the necessary support for candidates with disabilities during their certification process.

Adult education and training courses (EFA)

The person responsible for the pedagogical aspects of Adult Education and Training (EFA) Courses is the mediator, who plays a central role in liaising between learners, trainers and the technical and pedagogical team, ensuring favourable conditions for participation, progression and completion of the training programmes. 

The main responsibilities of the mediator are:

• To closely support adults throughout the course.
• Identifying the individual needs of learners.
• Promoting integration within the group.
• Facilitating communication between all those involved in the training process.
• Supporting the management of situations where there is a risk of dropout.
• Contributing to the definition of strategies for motivation, catch-up and continuity of the training programme.
• Collaborating in the facilitation of educational activities.
• Monitor trainees’ attendance.
• Collect relevant information for monitoring training pathways.
• Liaise with external services and organisations whenever necessary.
• Organise and keep the technical-pedagogical process up to date.
• Ensure trainees are registered on the SIGO Platform (Integrated System for Educational and Training Provision).
• Act as a bridge between the different stakeholders in the training process, enhancing the quality of educational provision and supporting the retention and success of adult learners.

The mediator must hold a higher education qualification and have specific training for that role or possess relevant experience in the field of adult education and training.

Portuguese as host language courses

Portuguese as a Host Language (PLA) courses are organised by public schools, by the network of centres directly managed by the Instituto do Emprego e da Formação Profissional, I. P. and by the Qualifica Centres network. 

These courses are taught by fully qualified teachers in the area of Portuguese, preferably with specific training in teaching Portuguese as a foreign or second language, or by trainers with specific training in the same area.

For more information, please see subchapter 7.4.1 Main types of provision