The labor market, a new tool for the recognition of professional qualifications

The Ministry of Education and Research has published for consultation a draft Government Decision for the approval of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), an essential tool intended to increase the transparency, comparability and recognition of the professional qualifications of citizens who wish to access the European labor market. The project proposes to update the way in which qualifications are defined and classified, by introducing a set of standardized descriptors that reflect learning outcomes under three essential components: knowledge; skills; responsibility and autonomy.

According to the Higher Education Law, the National Qualifications Framework is a reference system intended to classify qualifications according to the levels of learning achieved, with the aim of: integrating and coordinating national qualifications subsystems, improving the transparency and accessibility of qualifications, facilitating professional progress and increasing the quality of training in relation to the requirements of the labor market and society.

The implementation of this framework targets the entire national vocational training system, from qualifications acquired through apprenticeships and secondary education, to those obtained in tertiary, university and non-university education, while covering formal, informal and non-formal learning experiences.

Through this initiative, the authorities aim to promote lifelong learning and provide a coherent framework for the professional and personal development of citizens, in accordance with European standards.