Overview
Pronatec (Programa Nacional de Acesso ao Ensino Técnico e Emprego) is a Brazilian federal programme created by Law 12.513 of 2011. It is not an exam. It funds and widens the supply of vocational and technical courses, which are delivered by public institutions and the national learning services. The only source read was the law's consolidated text in Portuguese, so day-to-day rules, current course lists and enrolment dates are not covered here. The programme's ministry pages could not be read.
Goals
The law lists these goals: expanding and spreading technical secondary and short vocational courses, face-to-face and distance; supporting growth of the physical network of vocational schools; improving public secondary education through links with vocational training; widening workers' learning opportunities; and tying vocational policy to employment and income policy.
Who it prioritises
Students in public secondary education, including adult education.
Workers, including family farmers, foresters, aquaculture workers, extractive workers and fishers.
People who receive federal cash-transfer benefits.
People who finished secondary school in a public school, or a private one with a full scholarship.
Women who are victims of domestic violence and have a police report (added in 2022).
The law also encourages participation of people with disabilities, Indigenous and quilombola communities, and young people serving socio-educational measures.
Course types
Initial and continuing training or professional qualification courses, with a minimum of 160 hours.
Technical secondary courses, which must follow national curriculum guidelines and be in the national catalogue of technical courses.
Teacher training at secondary level (normal modality).
Bolsa-Formacao
The law's main funding tool is Bolsa-Formacao, in two forms. Bolsa-Formacao Estudante covers technical secondary courses taken alongside, integrated with or after secondary school. Bolsa-Formacao Trabalhador covers short training courses for workers and cash-transfer beneficiaries. The Executive sets the eligibility and priority criteria. The law also allows student or company financing of training at approved institutions.
Who delivers it
The programme works through the federal, state, district and municipal governments with voluntary participation of the national learning services and approved vocational institutions. At least 30 percent of the transfers to institutions for the grants must go to the North and Northeast regions.
Fees
Under the law, a Bolsa-Formacao pays the full cost of the course per student, including tuition and educational charges and, where applicable, transport and food. Institutions may not charge students directly for enrolment, teaching materials or any other service under it.
How to enrol
The law does not set an exam or enrolment dates. Enrolment goes through the institution offering a course, and places and criteria are set by the Executive. Check the Ministry of Education or the institution for current offers.