We created "Puentes Educativos Técnico Profesional" or "Puentes Educativos TP" to address the structural inequality affecting students in rural Vocational Education schools in Chile. These students often lack 21st-century skills and face limited educational and career expectations due to poor teaching practices, low access to information, and weak links with higher education and industry. Fundación 99, aims to bridge these gaps by fostering skills like creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and self-efficacy. The program was born from our deep belief that all young people have capabilities, but not the same opportunities.
In practice, the program supports students and teachers through four components: (1) teacher and school leadership training in active pedagogies and 21st-century skills; (2) alternance education, linking classroom learning with workplace experiences; (3) community and industry engagement to broaden student networks; and (4) vocational guidance to help students visualize and plan diverse post-secondary trajectories. Each intervention is context-sensitive, particularly designed for the rural educational environment.
The program began in rural schools in the Araucanía region, one of Chile’s most underserved areas. Through partnerships with local educational institutions, municipalities, and NGOs, we have expanded organically to new schools. Sharing of results, policy engagement, and collaboration with national actors have helped raise visibility and interest in scaling the model. We started in 2022 with 7 Vocational Education Schools with 40 teachers and 500 students. Nowdays, we are deploying this project with 34 Vocational Education Schools in two different regions of Chile and more than 100 teachers and more than 1.500 students.
We continuously adapt based on feedback and local rural contexts. Recent additions include a stronger focus on gender equity, improved tools for vocational guidance, and more robust evaluation frameworks. We’ve also integrated digital tools and flexible learning formats to overcome geographic and infrastructure barriers in rural areas.
Start by assessing your school’s current challenges regarding student engagement, teacher capacity, post-secondary pathways, and the quality of the networks that the School has regarding industry and higher education institutions. Then, contact Fundación 99 for guidance on adapting the model to your context. We can provide training modules, implementation frameworks, and mentorship to help replicate or tailor the program effectively.
