Training in mediation: an educational mechanism for new professional profiles

Abstract

The need for Lifelong Education and Training has become a politically defined requirement and not just an intrinsic relevance to human beings. In this context, new training proposals arise, which are associated with young professionals in an emerging field that is known as Adult Education and Training. In this sense, over the last decade Portugal and France have embraced new challenges in this field with the establishment in France of the process of Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience (VAE) and in Portugal of the process of Recognition, Validation and Certification of Skills (RVCC) and of courses for the Education and Training of Adults (EFA Courses). From these innovations in the field of education new pedagogical requirements and new professionals have also emerged: namely, the Diagnosis and Referral Technicians and the RVC Professionals in the RVCC process, the EFA Mediators and the Professionals of VAE. Some of the objectives of this study are to get to know about and question the features of the profiles of the new professional and to identify their training needs. The data resulting from the predominantly qualitative multi-case study conducted in Portugal and France, namely, the analysis of semi-directive interviews and autobiographical narratives, points to the need for these new professionals to attend regular professional training in the areas of Adult Education and Training and Mediation and these are the results that will be questioned and discussed in this text.