Abstract:

The number of Vocational Education vacancies in Brazil has significantly increased. This process started in Lula’s administration (2003-2010) and remains in Dilma’s government (2011-present). The increase on the number of vacancies led, consequently, to an increase on the number of teachers working within vocational education in Brazil. A school census carried out in 1999 indicated that around 101,000 teachers worked with vocational education in the country. According to recent statistics provided by the Department of Professional and Technical Education of the Ministry of Education, the country, which had 58,898 teachers working within professional education in 2009, had 68,200 teachers in 2011. In this context, a question is particularly important: what kind of professionals teach at vocational education schools? To answer this question we carried out a theoretical study, a survey, and analysis of statistical data from the Ministry of Education's Department of Professional and Technical Education's database . Data analysis indicates that, in general, teachers who work in professional education have no pedagogical training. It also indicates that the current picture presents a discussion/definition of initial and continuing training policy for those professionals.

Keywords:

Vocational Education, Teachers, Brazil.