The Dual VET reform

Working sessions took place to raise awareness among stakeholders of the potential of the dual VET model, to identify and agree on the success factors that set the basis for high quality implementation models of Dual VET aligned to the EQAVET framework.

The General Council for Vocational Training (Consejo General de Formación Profesional, CGFP) addressed the situation and reform of dual VET through one of the working groups launched in late 2018, which presented their proposals and reports in 2019. Discussions continue among main stakeholders.

In October 2019, the government updated the strategy for the period 2019-22. A first Strategic plan for vocational training was approved by the Council of Ministers at the end of 2019, which sets as one of its objectives the development of the Dual VET model.

The Government gave the green light to EUR 34 044 460, jointly financed by the European Social Fund, for Dual VET. The distribution criteria used for this amount have been the special, island and outermost territories, the number of students in basic and intermediate VET levels, the number of centres that offer both types of VET programme, the number of technology and industrial companies, the number of companies participating in Dual VET programmes in 2016/17, the number of centres that offer Dual VET programmes 2016/17, the rate of early school leavers and the gender gap in technology and industrial sector branches.

The governance of the VET qualification system was reshuffled by the new cabinet emerging after the December 2019 general elections, with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training now responsible for the whole VET qualification system (integrating the education and the labour remits) while the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy is responsible for schemes and training programmes not linked to the national VET qualification system. The year 2020 was a transition period for some of these competences.

Dual vocational training is still a minor option in the national education and employment training systems; in IVET it represents around 3% of all VET learners and engages a low percentage of SMEs. The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training is drafting a new regulation on VET and the dual modality. Different measures are being considered to make the participation of SMEs and micro-SMEs more attractive. In 2020, the ministry of education and vocational training developed several initiatives in this area:

1. the plan for the modernisation of VET (Plan de Modernización de la Formación Profesional) announced in July 2020 aims at guaranteeing quality training and skills for all (sound technical skills, as well as digital, analytical, and predictive skills). Dual VET as one of its 11 strategic areas to engage, through flexible delivery, small and medium-sized enterprises, business and trade union organisations, as well as education authorities, and the participation of (micro) SMEs in the vocational training ecosystem.
2. meetings with the main employer and trade unions organisations to consolidate an alliance on dual VET have focused also on the relationship model between the company and the apprentice or the (possible) integration of apprentices in the workers representative participation bodies in the company;
3. setting up a working group with EU services and the Bertelsmann Foundation for the identification of essential factors for quality provision in dual VET system, aligned with the framework of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeship, that could be fed into new regulations currently in the pipeline;
4. a virtual forum 'a new law for education and vocational training' launched at the end of 2020, organising working groups with VET stakeholders (public authorities, social partners, teachers, and learners). Creation of an online mailbox (on the MoE website and at the dedicated site) for citizens to leave their suggestions and contributions.

A series of public webinars on the VET reform started in February 2021, including discussions on the delivery of dual VET.

The public consultation on the draft Organic Act on the organisation of the system of qualifications and vocational training (draft law on VET) ended in January 2021, and its legal processing started. It passed Congress at the end of December and is pending approval by the Senate.

This draft law on VET establishes a single, modular and flexible offer of formal vocational training structured in training itineraries that allow progression through five ascending grades (A, B, C, D and E), ranging from smaller units or microtraining (grade A) to VET programmes and specialisation courses (grades D and E). In-company training is foreseen for the programmes leading to professional certificates (grade C) and VET diplomas (grade D).

The regulation promotes co-responsibility between VET centres and local enterprises, working together to deliver the curriculum. It also clarifies the role and responsibilities of in-company tutors and regulates the relationship between vocational training and university education, facilitating the design of training itineraries that ease the transition between the two systems and in both directions. The text considers promoting new models of collaboration, sharing projects or exchanging resources and spaces to generate knowledge transfer and share good practices.

The education ministry working group with EU services and the Bertelsmann Foundation concluded its work in December with the publication of Good practice in dual vocational training in Spain: 14 European quality indicators, 102 regional examples. These examples of good practice refer to some of the key elements included in the draft Organic Act on VET, such as the figures of the school tutor and the company tutor, the shared spaces between schools and companies, the personalisation of the training programme for each student, the specific training for teachers or the rotation of students through different companies.

The education ministry's territorial cooperation programmes for VET were endowed with EUR 11 416 130 and aimed at actions related to dual vocational training, such as collaborative projects to support SMEs and micro-SMEs in their participation in these courses, the creation of new places or aid for the mobility of students and teachers.

The State Public Employment Service continued to manage the authorisation of the training activity for the training and apprenticeship contracts through a computer-based application available to all regional PES services. This type of contract was modified in 2021, within the framework of the modification of the Workers' Statute for the 21st century.

The government, trade unions and employers reached an agreement to modify the labour regulation in December 2021, resulting in Royal Decree-Law 32/2021 on labour reform. It was validated by Congress in February 2022. This reform is part of component 23: New public policies for a dynamic, resilient and inclusive labour market of the national recovery and resilience plan. Royal Decree-Law 32/2021 modifies Article 11 of the Workers' Statute (WS) and abolishes the existing contractual modalities, such as the contract for training and apprenticeship, and creates a new training contract with two modalities: contract for alternance training (Contrato de formación en alternancia); contract for professional practice according to the qualification level (Contrato formativo para la obtención de la práctica profesional adecuada al nivel de estudios).

1. Contract for alternance training (Art. 11.2 WS): its purpose is to make paid work activity compatible with the corresponding training processes in vocational training, university studies or the catalogue of training specialities of the national employment system. The contract duration can range between 3 months and 2 years depending on the training programme. Exceptionally, several contracts for alternance training may be formalised with several companies, based on the same vocational programme (either formal VET leading to VET diplomas/professional certificates or programmes linked to training specialities under the labour remit) when these contracts respond to different activities linked to the training programme, without exceeding the maximum of 2 years in total. The effective working day must not exceed 65% in the first year or 85% in the second year; the remuneration may not be less than 60% in the first year or 75% in the second year or less than the minimum wage proportional to the working day.
2. Contract for professional practice (Art. 11.3 WS): it may be signed up to 3 years after obtaining the qualification (5 years in the case of people with disabilities). Duration is between 6 months and 1 year. The remuneration is according to the collective agreement for that job, and there must be a practical training plan and tutorial follow-up. At the end of the contract, the employee is entitled to certification of work experience.

The Royal Decree 278/2023, of 11 April, established the schedule for the implementation of Organic Act 3/2022 as follows:

1. before 1 September 2023, the education authorities have to begin the gradual offers of Grade A and B, under the terms provided for in the legislation;
2. in the 2023/24 school year, the education authorities have to offer Grade D and, where appropriate, E on a dual basis (general and intensive regimes) according to the regulation, considering the following transition periods: until 31 December 2024 for adapting the in-company training period; and until 31 December 2028, for moving from the scholarship system to the training contract in the case of the intensive regime.

In July, Royal Decree 659/2023 was published, developing the organisation of the Spanish VET system. It implements and details the guidelines established by Organic Act 3/2022, ensuring that the vocational training system is accessible, flexible and adapted to the needs of the labour market.

In the academic year 2023/24, the education authorities began to offer Grades D and, where appropriate, E, on a dual basis, in the general and intensive regimes. This decision does not affect the transitional periods set for adapting the in-company training phase (until 31 December 31 2024) and the transition from the scholarship system to training contracts in the intensive regime (until 31 December 2028).

Since November 2023, the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports is responsible for proposing and executing the government's policy on vocational training in the education system and for employment (Royal Decree 829/2023 of 20 November on the restructuring of ministerial departments).