The role of vocational training knowledge intensive business services. (Main conclusions)

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In the global economic model, the service sector continues to gain ground on the manufacturing sector and trends such as the integration of new technologies into production processes are advancing inexorably. Advanced economies are pushed to specialise, supported by their regional innovation systems, and cities are emerging as key and strategic centres of activity. In this context, Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS) are presented as critical due to their capacity to promote innovation within the regional productive fabric and smart specialisation strategies, the promotion of advanced manufacturing, the generation of quality employment and the stimulation of economic growth, especially in urban environments. This is why many cities, prioritizing KIBS to stimulate their economy, need to create and retain talent for this sort of industry. Likewise, vocational and education training (VET) systems, such as the Basque VET system, have so far developed their greatest strengths in the field of manufacturing knowledge. Due to this, VET seems to be obliged to adapt to this new scenario, in which KIBS and cities stand out, in order to continue to maintain their level of excellence. KIBS have been extensively examined, but until now no one had posed the following questions: What is the role of vocational training in KIBS? To what extent are VET profiles (and will VET profiles be) relevant in KIBS? This study will show an emerging trend in the labour market. This is the growing relevance of technology profiles with VET background in KIBS, especially in technology-based KIBS. VET technology profiles can be consolidated as one of the main implementing agents of the digital transformation (cybersecurity, blockchain, cloud computing, UX design, artificial intelligence, scientific computing...). To this end, hybridisation with other fields of knowledge but also with studies of other kinds such as university studies may be essential.