Dual Education Challenges in Mexico

With Plan México aiming to create 1.5 billion specialized jobs and train 150,000 professionals and technicians, dual education has become a critical strategy. The Mexican Dual Training Model (MMFD) currently engages 3,000 companies and benefits 16,000 students, yet the upper-secondary education population amounts to 5 million. Dual education is poised to address the youth employment deficit and close the skills gap, still, the challenge lies in extending its reach to ensure long-term workforce development.

According to The Dialogue Report, dual education can be a powerful tool for bridging the skills gap by making education more relevant to market needs, fostering closer public-private collaboration, and providing youth with concrete skills and work experience. Private educational institutions, in collaboration with public institutions, are key to expanding the reach and impact of dual education in Mexico as they hold an influencing presence in key economic areas. 

However, effective dual education programs rely on a robust regulatory framework that defines the conditions for designing, managing, monitoring, and evaluating these programs. In Latin America, the lack of clarity within these frameworks is a significant obstacle to the success of dual education initiatives, states the report. 

The 7 challenges presented by The Dialogue Report are:

1. Weak regulations regarding the employer-apprentice relationship (e.g contract compensation) 

2. Lack of standards and low recognition of training value

3. Weak norms and mechanisms to enforce regulations and standards

4. Lack of coordination among actors 

5. Few incentives for firm participation and co-financing

6. Low integration of high-need individuals

7. Limited evidence to inform decisions 

Currently, dual education in Mexico is driven by CONALEP. Mario Delgado Carrillo, Minister of Public Education, declared this a key focus of SEP’s efforts to enhance collaboration with companies. In December 2024, Delgado acknowledged the support of various allies, including business organizations such as the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) and COPARMEX, as well as European organizations, embassies from Germany and Switzerland, UNICEF, and companies from various sectors like automotive, hospitality, food, manufacturing, and appliances, MBN reports. 

According to The Dialogue, internships hosted under the Ministry of Education’s national dual education program do not involve a formal labor contract or a salary, as apprentices in these programs are legally considered students and not employees. A legal labor contract is a key feature of dual education programs worldwide, ensuring apprentices receive compensation while defining the rights and responsibilities of all parties. In countries like Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, apprentices earn at least a portion of the minimum wage and receive benefits similar to those of full-time employees, including social security protections. 

Recently, private institutions have announced efforts to reinforce dual education. This March, the National Office in Mexico of the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science, and Culture (OEI) and Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México (IBERO), with funding from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), organized the event Dual Education in Mexico: Exchange of Experiences and Learning 2025 to explore opportunities for improving the dual education model.

"Dual Education serves as a key bridge between classrooms and workplaces, allowing students to develop the skills needed to face labor market challenges," said Alejandro Anaya, Vice Chancellor, IBERO. The initiative brought together key stakeholders from both the educational and business sectors involved in dual education.

Dina Fassbender, Director of the Project for the Consolidation and Scaling of the Mexican Dual Education System, GIZ, discussed the collaboration of SEP and partners from both the education and private sectors to provide educational options with better job prospects.

On the report, The Dialogue extends a list of recommendations for stakeholders to promote high quality education, such as: 

1. Strengthening legal frameworks that regulate dual education programs

2. Developing quality standards for apprenticeships, while collaborating with the private sector 

3. Devising mechanisms to incentivize firm participation 

4. Expanding access to dual education through pre-apprenticeship programs

5. Promoting regional knowledge-sharing and collaboration

6. Investing in research and data-gathering to inform policy-making