A contribuição da formação tecnológica para o desenvolvimento regional: o caso do Instituto Federal Farroupilha, Campus Júlio de Castilhos

Abstract

Public policies aimed at scientific and technological training are closely related to the socioeconomic development of regions and countries, as they are the basis for providing the knowledge infrastructure to support such enterprises. In this conception, this dissertation proposed to analyze the potential socioeconomic effects of the implantation of a unit, of the Instituto Federal Farroupilha, in the municipality of Júlio de Castilhos in the period 2008-2020, within the movement of expansion of Vocational and Technological Education (EPT) in Brazil since 2003. Institutional action was considered as a public policy of the State, professional training and the promotion of socioeconomic development, based on the perception of actors from the internal and external regional community. The research process was structured in four phases: theoretical/bibliographic review, document survey and cataloging, field research and data analysis. In the field research, an electronic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used. The methodological aspects of this work were characterized from qualitative research, prioritizing an exploratory descriptive approach. Data interpretation was articulated with content analysis and triangulation of the information collected. The research results confirm that the institution has recognized approval by the local and regional community in terms of access to education, training/training at different levels, however, it draws a pendulum trajectory in relation to its performance for socio-economic development processes. Its actions in this sense are considered punctual and articulated to specific sectors of regional society. The institution, for the few years of existence, is heading towards its consolidation, but it faces difficulties due to the conservative productive environment, hostile to technological penetration and productive diversification, as well as the recent political polarization that is reflected in the community/institution relations. The community credits the institution with its expectations regarding the leading role in actions and undertakings in the sphere of regional development, due to the potential in physical infrastructure and human capital, socially recognized. Society, through its actors and agents, distinguishes a local environment, before and after the Institute, due to the significant context of changes it has caused in certain local structures.