Esprominho – Escola Profissional do Minho, is a private vocational training school that has initiated its activity in 1999 but which has over 20 years of experience in providing vocational education and training. It provides level II and IV vocational training courses equivalent to the 9th and 12th grade; education and training courses adults with academic equivalence to basic and secondary levels, and finally, training courses and professional development for active people. EsproMinho is located in the two cities that are district capitals of the Minho Region: Braga and Viana do Castelo. EsproMinho is authorized, by Portuguese Education Ministry to develop educational and vocational training activities (dual system) for young people and adults in different training areas: beauty care – aesthetics, hairdressing and manicure-pedicure; geriatrics, computer science, commerce, sewing and fashion, tourism, management and accounting. The courses confer professional certification of level II, III or IV and academic equivalence to the 9th year of schooling or 12th grade. EsproMinho is located in the two cities that are district capitals of the Minho Region: Braga and Viana do Castelo. About 700 youth and adults trainees are currently attending EsproMinho, spread over the different courses: fashion, Information Technology, tourism, beauty care, hairdressing, business or events management. About 55 people work in the school, of which 15 are non-teaching staff, including education, administrative, training in the context of work and directors. EsproMinho’s Educational Project is based on values such as professionalism, rigor, knowledge, entrepreneurship and leadership. Nowadays the pedagogical practice is reinforced and the success of about 85% of graduates who enter the school and later enter labor market can be explained by the following factors:
1. Highly qualified and motivated students;
2. Training that perfectly meets with the business needs;
3. Educational project based on the professional reality and concept of business; 4. The school is organized as a business;
5. Highlight of formal and non-formal education;
   5.1 A strong socio-cultural training, which reinforces the concept of active citizenship and in accordance with the structuring values of democracy and freedom. These are achieved through environmental education, education for health and social education. Such educational dynamics are implemented through different tools such as:
      a) Open training / information sessions, developed by technicians and professionals from society and companies that regularly visit the school with the goal of sharing their knowledge and experiences; b) field trips and exchanges that allow trainees to meet business and social realities, so important to their development in these areas. Particularly in the case of national and international exchanges, cultural and social development is achieved through contact with other cultures, the interaction with other individuals of different culture and language etc. From the professional point of view, international initiatives are also developed which allow trainees to get internships in EU companies, contributing decisively to contact with other business, organization and procedures realities; c) participation and entrepreneurship promotion dynamics: the organization and implementation of formal and non- formal activities by the trainees; the Council of Delegates – a consultative body of the Educational Directorate, where delegates elected by the class present and represent the claims and suggestions from peers in order to allow the educative project’s configuration regarding the reality of the trainees, among others, necessities and expectations.
  5.2 adequate scientific and technical training regarding the business reality of the region: a) training by certified, competent and motivated professionals, and with their own business experience regarding technical, technological and practical training. This allows trainers to know exactly what the “market” expects of the learners and so can tailor their training for that level of know-how and demand;
     b) training in a simulated work context, carried out in school, reinforcing the technical, technological and practical training, bringing scientific rigor of the training level of the practical tasks required of trainees;
     c) training in a real work context, or work placement, which consists of training developed in companies where trainees are placed to perform the tasks that are required in terms of its referential training and employment.
6. consolidation of the educational project reaches full potential through two other realities which we consider to be indispensable to the process:
     a) excellent physical and instrumental conditions. The school is based on the infrastructures that are appropriate for training and is equipped with all the resources needed to its dynamics; b) continued educational orientation.