By Angélica Hernández,

Youth Advisory Group, 

GOYN Mexico City

I am Angélica Hernández, I am 25 years old, I am from Mexico City and I am part of the Young Opportunity Global Network. On Monday, March 4 of this year, I participated as a young opportunity in the dialogue table on technical education and second opportunities for upper secondary education.

I participated in this table because I was a young woman who studied in an educational institution that is classified as having little prestige, with many labels for women and they have the idea that those of us who graduate from there have a less than prosperous future. So it seemed important to me to add to this table from what I experienced and the ways I have seen that can help improve upper secondary education.

The Center for Educational and Social Studies, the Youth Center for Comprehensive Promotion, the Mexico Labor Center, Colleges of Scientific and Technological Studies, the Youth Support Foundation, Young Community Builders, Prepa In, and Community Services participated in our dialogue table. Youth, Rosario Castellanos University and YouthBuild México. We share several points of view from the experience of each of the participants. 

At the end of the meeting, the following points of greatest importance were prioritized for quality upper secondary education, where younger people can finish their studies and have access to a decent job. 

Flexible EMS Model:

• Create and promote a flexible and appropriate model of upper secondary education.
• Micro technical training throughout EMS.
• Second opportunity for young people who saw their upper secondary education cut short.
• Consider the “extra age” and young mothers who work.
• Implement a more flexible single exam.
• Strengthen vocational guidance to channel the student into the labor market.
• Certification of labor skills.
• Include training in socio-emotional skills and technical training relevant to job placement and productive entrepreneurship.
• Present the proposal to candidates and, if possible, to the Legislature of Mexico City with the request to include civil society.

Effective Linkage Programs with the Labor Market:

• Model of tripartite labor practices (company-government-youth training entities).
• Improvement of infrastructure and educational tools on campuses.
• Establishment of a hybrid Education-Work system.
• Tax incentives for companies for the training and development of productive skills of young people.
• Commitment to the learning and educational continuity of young people.
• Reform of the “Young People Building Future” program.

Teacher Training and Liaison/Orientation:

• Expansion of the workforce of teachers and vocational counselors in EMS level schools.
• Greater training and technological connection of teachers.
• Implementation of a progressive salary for teachers.
• Continuity strategy that accompanies before, during and after the professional training of the teaching staff.

Development of Socio-emotional Skills and Linkage with the Labor Market in Technical and Vocational Education:

• Generate relevant and effective programs for linking with the labor market.
• Develop social-emotional skills in technical and vocational education.
• Coordinate with local and national authorities.

Dissemination of Proposals:

• Communicate these proposals to:
• Candidates (prior to the elections).
• Political parties and legislative commissions.
  Mapping of actors: Prior to the elections: candidates. After the elections: educational authorities of the CDMX and Legislative Assembly.