- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Completed
Objectives
The objective of the action plan is to train at least 43% (100 000) of young people, registered as unemployed and with no compulsory secondary education qualification, to gain key competences in Spanish and mathematics; 30% of young people in linguistic competences, 225 000 young people in digital competences, and 25% (40 000) of young people in competences of strategic sectors.
Description
The Action plan for youth employment (2019-21) includes initiatives in relation to vocational training aimed at enabling young people under 30 years of age to acquire competences or professional experience, upgrade their qualifications and increase their employability.
Order TMS/941/2019, of 6 September, territorially distributes additional subsidies in the area of active employment policies, including funds for the implementation of the Action plan for youth employment 2019-21 and the Triennial plan for preventing and reducing long-term unemployment. These funds are allocated to strengthen the network of staff dedicated to career guidance for employment and job prospecting, which are mentioned in both plans.
At both State and regional levels, the recruitment of the counsellors is under way.
Within the framework of this plan, a collaboration agreement was signed between the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Social Security (renamed Ministry of Labour and Social Economy) and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias, FEMP), lasting 3 years (2019-21). This will allow different actions to be carried out locally and in collaboration with the regions and the territorial federations, such as the preparation of workshops, training actions and / or meetings to disseminate the measures of this youth plan. The actions included in this agreement, in turn, aim to facilitate the development of the objectives contained in measure 12, participation of local entities in guidance and personalised service programmes.
The territorial distribution of funds for subsidies in the field of employment in 2020 was established by Order TES / 406/2020 and Order TES / 1039/2020, including those for the implementation of the Action plan for youth employment 2019-21 and the Plan Reincorpora-T 2019-2021.
The hiring of career guidance staff (counsellors) is being carried out progressively by the Autonomous Communities. In October 2020, around 50% of the anticipated staff were in place, as the selection and recruitment process were slowed down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In general terms, the ORIENTA 3000 network has focused on career guidance for jobseekers (prioritising this service in the groups defined by the plan), as well as prospecting and attracting job offers.
Work is being done on the specialisation of the teams to meet the characteristics of the plan target groups: the youths.
The commission responsible for monitoring the youth employment action plan held two annual meetings at which progress was reported. A working group was established between the State Public Employment Service and the Public Employment Services of the Autonomous Communities, to provide technical support for both the implementation and monitoring of those measures whose scope of competence is the national employment system. Thanks to this working group and through the DG Reform-World Bank technical support, territorial reports have been drawn up on actions carried out by the different public employment services of the Autonomous Regions within the framework of the measures included in this action plan, as well as a first stage of identification and pre-selection of good practices and inspiring practices in the national employment system for the plan.
Among the main achievements of the Action plan for youth employment to date, the following ones can be highlighted:
- the staffing of almost 50% of technical staff in PES for career guidance and prospecting tasks of the Orienta 3 000 network, corresponding to the plan's measure 1, and the renewal of previous contracts, extended for 18 more months (until June 2022), has led to an improvement in the effectiveness of existing guidance and prospecting services;
- the development of a personalised employment itinerary or the provision of a vocational guidance service for employment or self-employment to young people, reaching a total of 1 103 984 in 2019 and 736 300 as of October 2020;
- the incorporation by the Spanish Youth Institute (INJUVE) of 98 young people to carry out youth mediation tasks during the period between 30 December 2019 and 1 June 2020;
- the percentage of young employed persons who have participated in digital skills training has increased by around 2% in 1 year (October 2019 to October 2020). In the case of young unemployed people, this percentage rises to 4% for the same period;
- in relation to strengthening the causality of temporary and part-time contracts, the implementation of the Master plan for decent work (2018-20) has facilitated the transformation of 61 445 contracts into permanent contracts;
- the simplification of the centralised registration of the National youth guarantee system provided for in measure 43 of Axis 6 of the Plan has enabled a total of 1 782 217 young people to register, 50% of whom are women.
The agreement between the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias) and SEPE to promote actions aimed at local entities within the framework of the Action plan for youth employment 2019-21 is in force during the whole plan implementation period. Different dissemination materials were developed and distributed.
The Action plan for youth employment completed its implementation in 2021. It comprised 50 measures based on the concept of personalised support of people and companies and the open participation of all the bodies of the State administration, the social partners, the Autonomous Communities, third sector entities and companies. These measures are implemented through common programmes that correspond directly to the regions and are included in the annual employment policy plans. The good practice identified in the Action plan for youth employment was used to design new measures within the framework of the national recovery plan, which will contribute to its effectiveness, increase employability (an objective related to component 23: New public policies for a dynamic, resilient and inclusive labour market) and enable the creation and development of tasks for the new public centres for guidance, entrepreneurship, support and innovation for employment (Centros Públicos de Orientación, Emprendimiento e Innovación para el Empleo, COE).
Through a Monitoring Commission, with more than 60 representatives, and with the technical assistance of the World Bank through the EU Commission's Directorate-General for Reforms (DG. Reform), best practice was identified and presented at a conference aimed at regional PES in March and at an international conference on best practice in June.
The World Bank's technical consultancy report was presented to the plan's Monitoring Commission in October 2021. The report highlights the integration into the plan of measures that, for the first time, involve different public authorities outside the national employment system, setting youth unemployment as an objective to be addressed by the entire Spanish public administration. The Action plan for youth employment (as well as the Reincorpora-T plan) contains measures involving not only different ministries and public bodies, but also other actors, such as third sector entities. For each measure, setting up a competence map of the responsible bodies and administrations is key for its success. The competence map of the Action plan for youth employment, drawn up by the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) was described as a model to be followed. The transferability and applicability of the good practice identified through its monitoring, have been incorporated into the new active employment policy actions promoted by SEPE and the new planning frameworks on youth employment.
The Action plan for youth employment provides a solid basis for the measures included in the Youth guarantee plus plan (YG+): career guidance, equal opportunities, transition between the world of training and work, concern for depopulation and employment in rural areas and entrepreneurship). It also inspires the governance model of the institutions and entities involved in the implementation of YG+. It is a reference point for other specific actions such as:
- personalised employment itineraries (a support scheme involving analysis and identification of employment opportunities and professional alternatives, adequate training itinerary and/or accreditation of work experience or job search actions to be carried out by the user);
- training aimed at the acquisition of skills;
- first experience and second chance programmes;
- incentives aimed at vulnerable groups to improve their employment opportunities.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Labour and Social Economy
- State Public Employment Service (SEPE)
- The Spanish Youth Institute (INJUVE)
- Autonomous Communities (CC.AA.)
Target groups
Learners
- Young people (15-29 years old)
Education professionals
- Guidance practitioners
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to the integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall into this sub-category.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of incentives that encourage learners to take part in VET and lifelong learning; VET providers to improve, broaden and update their offer; companies to provide places for apprenticeship and work-based learning, and to stimulate and support learning of their employees. It also includes measures addressing specific challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) willing to create work-based learning opportunities in different sectors. Incentives can be financial (e.g. grants, allowances, tax incentives, levy/grant mechanisms, vouchers, training credits, individual learning accounts) and non-financial (e.g. information/advice on funding opportunities, technical support, mentoring).
This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Action plan for youth employment: Spain. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28194