CETEM

CETEM is a non-profit scientific research and training organisation located in the south east of Spain. CETEM was created due to an initiative by private companies from the furniture and woodworking sectors of the Region of Murcia, and established in 1995 with the initial support of the regional government, the Spanish Ministry of Industry and the European Union. CETEM is formed by 30 professionals with different backgrounds: engineering, technology transfer, business administration, chemistry, psychology, teaching, design, etc. The scope of experience actively contributes towards the socio-economic development of companies by providing support and promoting processes of technology, innovation and development, such as strategies of competitiveness in the business environment and training programmes.
CETEM works in different areas of expertise:(1)Product Engineering,(2)Materials Science,(3)Electronics & Domotics (Focused on improving traditional sector products through the integration of technology and creation of new products and improving the quality of life and independence of disabled and elderly people),(4)Processes technology (specialised in furniture and upholstery) and (5)Industrial and Organisational Psychology (Specialised in skills needs analysis of disabled and workplaces for the inclusion at labour market of people with disabilities and teaching VET courses) and (6) VET training. These three last areas will be directly involved in the project with the close support of the rest of areas.
As Vocational, Education and Training Centre, besides managing more than 30 VET programs per year, covering a wide range of areas from Design, technology transfer, IPR rights, and production management to quality standards, CETEM arrange every year an edition of the Master Degree in Design and Business Management for the Furniture, Upholstery and Wood Sector, which is currently adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Throughout the 14 editions of the Master, a total of 220 students have completed the master degree and 80% have been incorporated into the labor market.
Both Face to Face and Online VET programs that CETEM offers are managed through the learning platform elernia (www.elernia.cetem.es), where learners can check all the training catalog and even participate in online courses.
In relation to the social context, around 23% of the total Spanish population in working age is currently unemployed. In the social Context, 8.5% of the total population in Spain suffers a disability, which 5% are within the working age. Since its creation in 1995, CETEM has been continuously involved in training activities that target unemployed people in traditional sectors by tailoring VET actions to their needs. Moreover, since 2009, CETEM has been working in many projects related to encourage the incorporation of disabled people in traditional sectors by studying their skills and needs and adapting VET actions and the different workplaces from these sectors to their needs.
-CETEM´s Corporate Social Responsibility: CETEM´s mission is oriented to improve, favour and foster the continuous improvement and competitiveness of the furniture industry. In addition, all the initiatives that CETEM starts, besides having an industrial interest, born for solving a social need, either environmental, safety, facing unemployment and the improvement of life quality of people at risk of exclusion.
-The Spanish Strategy About Disability 2012-2020, and its Global Strategy Action for employment of disabled people in order to promote labour inclusion and improve employability.
-EU Guidelines for employment policies (Combating social exclusion).
In order to assure the quality of any initiatives that CETEM is involved, either as coordinator or participant, they are being managed according to a Research, Development and Innovation Management System which is certificated according to UNE 166002 R&D&i Management: R&D&i Management System Requirements. In order to manage all project issues,(coordination, deviations, communications, IPR, Internal/External meetings etc). CETEM also has established internal procedures in which every financial issue is stated in order to ensure the correct development of any action at financial level. Furthermore CETEM is recognized as Technological Innovation Centre (CIT Nº 83) and as Technology Transfer Office (TTO Nº 165)
In terms of VET programs, any initiative that CETEM address are weighed for the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) with the aim of promoting the recognition and the mobility in vocational education and training. Also, depending of the kind of qualification profiles of the target groups of each initiative, the different qualification profiles will be placed within the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) including knowledge, skills and competence.