Madrid, Spain—
The Professional Qualification Programme in Madrid, Spain, was created to support long-term unemployed to (re-)enter the labour market.
As part of the project, work-related training is provided to participants to help them with both technical and transversal skills relevant for the local labour market.
The key objectives of the Professional Qualification Programme are to foster employability of long-term unemployed people. As part of the programme, different projects have been set up to target either youth or adults.
The programme offers people who are long-term unemployed the opportunity to develop both technical and transversal skills by combining training and work experience in the public sector. The programme includes the following projects, which target different groups:
For people below 30: Vocational qualification for young people who don’t have a qualification, and Vocational activation for people who have a qualification but experience difficulties in finding a job.
For people above 30: Professional qualification for people who lack professional qualifications, and Professional reactivation for people who have professional qualifications but experience difficulties in finding a job.
For people with specific difficulties in entering the labour market: explicit programmes that encourage the recruitment of these unemployed people in activities of public or social interest. This provides individuals with the skills and confidence to activate their search for employment and secures their access to the labour market.
The programme was implemented in close cooperation with different government departments, the municipal boards and the Madrid City Council.
According to the city, the key success factor of the programme has been the link between training and work that has supported the development of skills that are useful in mainstream employment. However, challenges exist in motivating the long-term unemployed and involving them in the programme.
OECD (2022), "Future-proofing adult learning systems in cities and regions: A policy manual for local governments", OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Papers, No. 2022/03, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/11fa26cc-en.
