New Vocational Training Law: Transforming Career Guidance in Spain
Current Legislative Framework
In March 2022, Spain’s Council of Ministers approved Organic Law 3/2022, which organizes and integrates Vocational Training (FP). Over a year later, Royal Decree 659/2023, dated July 18, was published to further develop the FP system. This decree outlined the implementation schedule for the new FP system over the next four years. Yesterday, May 28, “the Government took the final step for the implementation of the new Vocational Training system for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year,” publishing in the Official State Gazette (BOE) four royal decrees that complete the regulatory framework of the Vocational Training Law approved two years ago.
“The aim of the regulation is to establish a professional training and guidance system that, while strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of the Spanish economy, can flexibly respond to the interests, expectations, and aspirations of individuals for lifelong professional qualification, as well as the skills demanded by new productive and sectoral needs to enhance productivity and generate employment.”
— Organic Law 3/2022, March 31, on the Organization and Integration of Vocational Training
More Vocational Training, More Opportunities
The new Vocational Training Law seeks to develop a more flexible, accessible, and certifiable FP system. Its most significant changes can be summarized in four key points:
- Integration of Educational FP and Employment FP Systems
The new FP system will be organized into five cumulative and progressive qualification levels, ranging from micro-courses to specialized certifications. This modular offering will allow for more flexible and personalized learning pathways tailored to students’ needs and goals. - Expansion of Dual Vocational Training
With the expansion of the Dual Vocational Training model, many students will complete a significant portion of their training within companies. This approach facilitates their entry into the labor market and aligns training programs with the productive needs of each region. - Accreditation of Professional Competencies
The new FP Law makes it easier for workers without official qualifications to have their professional skills recognized. Through a permanent administrative process, these workers can officially validate their work experience. Additionally, a professional guidance service will help design individual and group training pathways. - Adaptation to Business Needs
In recent years, FP has become the most in-demand official training by Spanish companies. One of FP’s major challenges is bridging the gap between academia and industry. The new law incorporates proposals directly from the business sector to better align FP with the needs of the labor market. This trend is expected to grow further thanks to the new FP Law.
More FP, Better Career Guidance
The new legislation establishes and regulates a professional guidance system linked to the Vocational Training framework. The law emphasizes the importance of career guidance as a process that equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to enter and thrive in the workforce.
This guidance ensures that vocational training is not only technical but also comprehensive, preparing students to meet the current demands of the labor market. It gives them a clear and realistic understanding of their career options, helping them make informed decisions about their academic and professional futures.
The new Vocational Training Law significantly enhances career guidance at all educational levels. It expands and personalizes guidance services, ensuring every student receives an initial assessment to align their skills, interests, and aspirations with market demands. The law also promotes proactive career planning and stronger collaboration with businesses, improving the transition from education to employment. Additionally, it reinforces support and continuous training for guidance counselors, equipping them with up-to-date knowledge on market trends and new teaching methodologies, solidifying the relevance of career guidance in FP.
This alignment of individual competencies with sector-specific needs enables more effective career guidance, where individual skills are assessed and enhanced to adapt careers to market trends and personal interests. Continuous evaluation and adaptation of these programs are crucial for maintaining their relevance and effectiveness.
Success Story: Career Guidance and Socio-Emotional Competencies
Following the approval of Organic Law 3/2022, the Centro Integrado de Formación Profesional del Mar—Spain’s only Vocational Training center specializing in the maritime and fishing sectors—undertook a comprehensive overhaul of its curriculum. The two vocational modules, Training and Career Guidance and Entrepreneurship and Business Initiative, were retained but renamed and restructured as Personal Employability Pathway I and II.
These modules directly and transversally teach socio-emotional competencies, entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial initiative.
The CIFP del Mar is committed to the importance of training and self-training in social and emotional skills (SES) using the OCEAN model (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism), also known as the Big Five framework by the OECD. Socio-emotional competencies are vital for lifelong learning and the ability to “learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
CIFP del Mar and Human AI
CIFP del Mar integrates a project within its training cycles to analyze, evaluate, and develop socio-emotional competencies using the artificial intelligence tool Human AI Tech. This initiative represents an educational transformation, utilizing AI to assess and enhance students’ emotional and social skills.
Human AI generates individualized reports highlighting each student’s strengths and areas for improvement in socio-emotional competencies based on natural language text. These reports become an integral part of the educational process throughout the academic year. Activities tailored to this data enable students to consciously address areas for improvement while reinforcing their strengths.
Teachers and tutors at CIFP del Mar use these reports to integrate the data into both theoretical and practical training. This approach ensures a smoother transition of knowledge and skills from the classroom to the workplace, providing students with a solid foundation for professional growth.
The methodology also includes specific activities designed to address individual student needs identified through Human AI Tech. These activities not only enhance classroom learning but also prepare students for real-world challenges, improving their employability and adaptability in the labor market.
Building the Future
CIFP del Mar’s experience demonstrates how integrating advanced technologies and personal development-focused pedagogies can significantly enrich vocational training. This case highlights the importance of adapting education to future labor needs while establishing a replicable model for incorporating socio-emotional competencies into curricula. This proactive approach ensures students are not only technically proficient but also emotionally and socially equipped to succeed in any professional environment.
