There is widespread consensus on the importance of innovation as a key element to address the major transformations that our country needs, as highlighted in the National Strategy of the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación (CTCI, National Council for Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation). This strategy focuses on promoting an education that highlights the role of imagination, curiosity and critical thinking, and seeks to establish a solid alliance between the CTCI ecosystem and the educational sphere at all levels. 

On the 81st anniversary of Technical and Professional Education, it is precisely this latter point the one that prompts us to reflect on its role in this field. Technical training institutions are by their very nature regarded as distant from innovation and as employment-oriented training. However, the new Higher Education Law, the modifications to the National System for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and the Innova TP Strategy (recently presented by the Undersecretary of Higher Education) have begun to mobilize these institutions to move forward along this path, which has resulted in great challenges and new opportunities for Technical Training Centers and Professional Institutes. 

Although efforts intended to innovate are underway in Higher Technical and Professional Education, what about technical and professional high schools? It is a well-known fact that joining the school community at an early age is key to providing young people with new opportunities in their training and work paths, and to provide them with new knowledge that will have a relevant impact on their future employment. However, in order to respond to the major transformations that will determine the future of the country, it is necessary to move forward at a faster pace and motivate technical training institutions to fully embrace innovation to maximize their potential as innovation drivers in their local ecosystems. 

This is no insignificant matter when one takes into account that more than 160 thousand students are enrolled in technical and professional secondary education, 37% of the total 3rd and 4th grade enrollment, which implies a critical mass with an enormous potential of future innovators and/or entrepreneurs that will strengthen the sustainable development of the country.   For this to happen, it is essential for young people to find meaning in innovation and entrepreneurship. This will happen to the extent that they have early connections to the labor market and relate to its environment with these new XXI century competencies and skills, so they can devise timely and relevant solutions to the problems and challenges of their environments. The challenges we must face as a country are clear, and prompt Technical Education to think out of the box and take the lead in the changes to take place.