Description

Country
Focus area
INCUAL is the technical body of the CGFP (General Council of Vocational Training), the organisation that advises the government on VET issues. The role of INCUAL is to identify the current and future skills that are needed in concrete professions, in order to adapt the contents of VET diplomas. For this, INCUAL has a deparment responsible for the identification of skill needs of occupations (Observatory of Professions), and departments for the design of qualifications and the articulation of the National System of Professional Qualifications.
Implementation level
At what level is the initiative implemented?
National
Starting period
TIMESPAN: In what year did the initiative commence?
The Royal Decree 375/1999, of 5th March 1999, created INCUAL and states that an Observatory of Professions must be created within INCUAL.
Perspective
PERSPECTIVE: is the initiative based on evidence derived from skill forecasts or foresight activities?
The definition of professional standards for each occupation and their follow-up and update is made through two working groups in INCUAL: one working group focuses on occupations, while the other working group focuses on diplomas that, in turn, shapes education provision. Both groups include sectoral experts and representatives of the public administration, trade unions and employers’ associations, suggested by the General Council for Vocational Training (CGFP). The working group of diplomas also includes experts in education, which should define the changes needed in TVET provision to respond to labour market demands identified through the Observation of Occupations of the state PES.
Recently the Order PCI/18/2020 created an Alert Network (red de alerta) and Sectoral Observatories within the Observatory of Professions of INCUAL. Alert Network pays attention to changes in occupations in sectors that play a strategic role in social, economic, productive and environmental terms.
The Plan for VET 2019-2022 states that INCUAL should be strenghtened (Axis 2) and play a more active role, obtaining information beyond the structures and instruments defined in this fiche, inviting to more institutions to participate (including companies) and paying more attention to industry 4.0, sustainability and greening.
As march 2021 there are in Spain 175 VET diplomas plus 583 professional certificates.
Policy area
To which POLICY AREAS(s) does the initiative apply?
INCUAL promotes the development of digital economy by the adaptation of existing VET diplomas to digital skills and the design of new diplomas.
Funding
How it is funded?
Funded by national government

Skill mismatch

Skill mismatch target
What type(s) of skills MISMATCH does the initiative aim to addresses?
Underqualification (individuals' qualifications/credentials are below their job's needs)
INCUAL aims to improve the quality of VET, thus motivating the participation of underqualified individuals in education.
Skill underutilisation (individuals' skills are not well used in their jobs)
INCUAL aims that VET diplomas train in skills that are demanded and thus used in jobs.
Skill shortages (employers cannot fill their vacancies due to a lack of skills in the labour market)
INCUAL aims that VET diplomas train in skills that are demanded and thus used in jobs.
Skill gaps (worker's skills are below the level of proficiency required by their employers and jobs)
INCUAL aims that VET diplomas train in skills that are demanded and thus used in jobs.
Skills obsolescence (some or all of an individual's skills are no longer relevant to the current employer or in the labour market generally)
INCUAL aims that VET diplomas train in current and future skills demanded by the labour market.
Skills matching focus
How does  the initiative address skills mismatches?
INCUAL aims that VET diplomas train in skills that are demanded and thus used in jobs, tthereby helping that future young graduates have skills that match labour market needs.
INCUAL is responsible for defining, updating and adapting the Spanish National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications, which is considered to shape the validation of skills obtained from working experience (Reconocimiento de la experiencia laboral)
INCUAL is responsible for defining, updating and adapting the Spanish National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications, which is considered to shape professional certificates for unemployed workers (certificados de profesionalidad)
The better adaptation of VET diplomas and professional certificates facilitates career transitions by training workers and students in skills demanded by the labour market.
Companies benefit as they can employ better qualified workers.
The better adaptation of VET diplomas and professional certificates facilitates career transitions by training workers and students in skills demanded by the labour market.

Methods

Methods
What methods of undertaking skills assessments and / or skills anticipation does the policy instrument utilise?
Skills forecasting
The Observatory of Professions carries out skill forecasting.
Employer surveys
Employers representatives participate in the sectorial observatories (of Observatory of Professions) and companies can directy participate in the network of alert (of Observatory of Professions)
Skills foresight
The Observatory of Professions carries out skill foresight.
Other
Note: The definition of professional standards for each occupation and their follow-up and update is made through two working groups in INCUAL: one working group focuses on occupations, while the other working group focuses on diplomas that, in turn, shapes education provision. Both groups include sectoral experts and representatives of the public administration, trades unions and employers’ associations, suggested by CGFP. The working group of diplomas also includes experts in education, which should define the changes needed in TVET provision to respond to labour market demands identified through the observation of occupations.
Use of skills intelligence
How is labour market information / skills intelligence used within the initiative?
INCUAL is responsible for defining, updating and adapting the Spanish National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications (Catálogo Nacional de Cualificaciones Profesionales, CNCP) to the labour market. Qualifications are grouped into 26 professional families and five levels according to the professional skills required for each economic activity.
INCUAL outputs serve to better design professional certificates (certificados de profesionalidad) for unemployed workers.
INCUAL outputs serve to better design the process of validation of skills acquired through work experience (Reconocimiento por la experiencia laboral)
INCUAL is responsible for defining, updating and adapting the Spanish National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications, which serves to define the provision of VET diplomas and professional certificates.

Stakeholders

Main responsible body
Main body or organisation with overall responsibility for the initiative.
National ministry
INCUAL is embedded in the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
National agency
INCUAL is the technical body of the CGFP (General Council of Vocational Training), the agency that advises the government on VET issues, which belongs to the Ministry of Work and Social Economy.
Other involved organisations
Which other organisations have a role in the initiative?
National agency
Fundae, the State Foundation for Training for employment (Fundación estatal para la formación para el empleo), which is responsible for the management of life-long learning for employed workers, participates in the management body of the Observatory of Professions of INCUAL.
Regional agency
Regional deparments for professional qualifications and regional observatories provide information to INCUAL
Social partner: employer organisation
Social partners participate in the management body of the Observatory of Professions of INCUAL and in the process of identification of skill needs.
Social partner: trade union
Social partners participate in the management body of the Observatory of Professions of INCUAL and in the process of identification of skill needs.
National PES
National PES, through the Observatory of Occupations, participate in the management body of the Observatory of Professions of INCUAL and in the process of identification of skill needs. National PES (department of professional certificates) is also present in the management body.
Beneficiaries
Who are the intended beneficiaries?
INCUAL improves the quality of VET, professional certificates and the validation of skills acquired through work experience, thus reaching the beneficiaries selected in the list below:
Young people making the transition from education into work
They benefit from better designed VET and from the possibility to get professional certificates and get their skills validated.
Young people with low levels of basic skills /early leavers from education or training
They benefit from better designed VET and from the possibility to get professional certificates and get their skills validated.
Adults with low basic skills
They benefit from better designed VET, from the possibility to get professional certificates and get their skills validated.
Adults in employment with upskilling potential
They benefit from better designed VET
Adults in employment with reskilling potential
They benefit from better designed VET
Employed adults at risk of job displacement
They benefit from better designed VET, from the possibility to get professional certificates and get their skills validated.
Minority groups in the population
They benefit from better designed VET, from the possibility to get professional certificates and get their skills validated.
People with disabilities
They benefit from better designed VET, from the possibility to get professional certificates and get their skills validated.

Sustainability

Success factors
SUCCESS FACTORS in the implementation
The participation of a broad set of agents that provide qualitative information. In addition to the regular and formal process of identification of skill needs, INCUAL is open to constant participation of any agent interested in suggesting changes for the VET provision. Companies usually validate the process of update of diplomas and the approval of new diplomas, considering whether the changes carried out are adequate.
Barriers
BARRIERS in the implementation
Barriers include: the need to update training for teachers; companies lack the means to provide apprenticeships for students in line with the updated contents of diplomas; the identification of information related to emerging sectors; a network of companies and experts needs to be updated to provide information about new sectors.
Monitoring and evaluation
MONITORING and EVALUATION: Is progress measured regularly? What are the indicators used to measure progress of the policy instrument? Have any evaluations been conducted?
The main indicators to follow up the progress of this instrument is the approval of new VET diplomas and the update of already existing diplomas. This is not measured regularly, although the qualifications included in the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications must be updated every five years, in terms of contents, denominations, schedules, etc.
Updates
UPDATES: whether there have been any major updates of the initiative since it has been implemented?
Yes
The main update has been the Order PCI/18/2020 that created an alert network (red de alerta) and sectoral observatories within the Observatory of Professions of INCUAL. Alert Network pays attention to changes in occupations in sectors that play a strategic role in social, economic, productive and environmental terms. Alert networks are formed by companies, business associations and public bodies.
As march 2021 there are in Spain 175 VET diplomas plus 583 professional certificates.
The Plan for VET 2019-2022 states that INCUAL should be strenghtened (Axis 2) and play a more active role, obtaining information beyond the structures and instruments defined in this fiche, inviting to more institutions to participate (including companies) and paying more attention to industry 4.0, sustainability and greening.
Effectiveness
EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVENESS: How effective is the policy instrument?
No evidence of the effectiveness and impact of the instrument as a whole is available. However, there are reports that partially assess the system, such as reports about the number of students that graduate or labour insertion of some diplomas. Benefits are as expected, although those responsible for this process would like to speed up the process of updating VET provision. Often schools and the update of diplomas are a factor that promotes innovation among some companies that are not that innovative, such as some SMEs.
Sustainability
SUSTAINABILITY: How sustainable is the policy instrument? Do you expect the instrument to continue over the next few years and why?
The instrument is permanent. It is expected to continue permanently, as it is needed for the update of the VET provision in Spain.

Other instruments in Spain