Andorra's Tàndem Project Marks 10 Years Linking Vocational Students to Real Business Challenges

A decade-long collaboration between Andorra Business and vocational training students has successfully addressed real-world business challenges in Andorra, marking its 10th edition this February.

The Tàndem project, launched in the 2016-2017 academic year with its first project presentations in May 2017 at the Aixovall vocational training centre in Sant Julià de Lòria, emerged from initial planning in 2015. Quim Torreda, then director of vocational training in the Education Ministry under Minister Èric Jover, helped conceive the initiative alongside the newly formed Actua—now known as Andorra Business.

Unlike traditional student internships, Tàndem flips the model by tasking vocational students with solving genuine company problems. Businesses identify needs, which are turned into innovation projects that students develop over the school year. "We realised we needed to transform real business needs into viable innovation projects," Torreda explained, rather than focusing solely on generic entrepreneurship training that dominated education at the time.

The approach required overcoming resistance from companies unused to articulating challenges for students and teachers bound by rigid curricula. Training sessions and intermediaries bridged the gap, fostering a shift where students become active problem-solvers rather than mere apprentices.

Today, Tàndem is embedded in the vocational curriculum and remains robust. Over 10 editions, more than 700 students, hundreds of teachers, and over 30 companies have participated. Torreda expressed pride in its enduring impact: "The project has become part of vocational training and is well-established."

The initiative has solidified a symbiotic link between Andorra's business and education sectors, proving students can deliver practical solutions.