In line with ongoing labor reforms, trainees can still submit applications for internships, including extracurricular ones. These opportunities have long been a source of concern due to perceived fraud in some niches. Although the newspaper El Periódico de Catalunya, part of the Prensa Ibérica group, reported a temporary limit on internship access, the final draft discussed today with employers and unions outlines specific caps. The recommendation sets a yearly ceiling of 480 internship hours for both curricular and extracurricular placements, which translates to 40 hours per week for a quarter or 20 hours per week for a semester. The total should not exceed 15 percent of the learning program’s subjects.
During today’s session, discussions aimed at clarifying the Scholarship Charter concluded after three hours without a final agreement. The draft fails to satisfy the core demands of both unions and employers’ associations, with one pivotal issue being the firm 480-hour cap. The text scheduled for amendment will be revisited in a follow-up meeting next week.
Educational centers seek reductions in extracurricular practices, while employers push for more robust participation. The concern is that although the policy aspires to curb extracurricular internships, some companies may still rely on manipulated trainee arrangements to recruit labor, offering only a chance for a contract rather than stable employment. The proposed changes would require an actual employment relationship to accompany any internship that is intended to lead to a position with the company.
Previously, the withdrawal of practices outside the compulsory education plan had already become an agreed position with the workforce authorities. Yet, in an effort to attract employers and gain political support, the department led by the second vice-president stressed reintroducing the number of extracurricular practices in the latest draft. The lack of consensus in Congress to formally approve the norm slowed negotiations. While some sources indicate partial dissatisfaction among employers, there is cautious optimism that increasing allowable hours for extracurricular internships could eventually secure regulatory approval.
With no consensus yet, the Labor Party has scheduled another round of talks with social partners for next Tuesday, March 14. A youth representative from a major union remarked that progress has occurred, but a signed regulation will require safeguards ensuring that the reforms curb fraud and prevent scholarship recipients from engaging in unpaid, uncredited work. A deputy secretary general for union policies emphasized a clear distinction between training internships and traditional employment contracts. Until that demarcation is explicit, the negotiations are unlikely to be resolved. Industry sources echoed this sentiment, noting that a patient, stepwise approach will be necessary to reach a durable agreement.
Lower student-teacher ratios
A further change proposed in the latest draft concerns the ratio of scholarship holders to teachers. The idea is to cap the maximum number of interns per instructor, with a theoretical ceiling of five students per supervisor and a limit on the total students under a single supervisor’s responsibility. Some provisions also allow 20 percent of staff to be involved in internship supervision across the organization. Companies would be able to negotiate with universities or training centers to adjust these limits up or down. The goal is to balance learning opportunities with the realities of supervision and supervision quality, avoiding the strain that earlier drafts could have placed on instructors and programs.
Workplace policy keeps the concept of extracurricular practices, but adds tighter controls to prevent fraudulent scenarios. The final draft envisions an assessment by the Ministry of Universities to measure how extracurricular internships align with educational objectives within two years of the reform taking effect. In practice, this means evaluating whether internships truly prepare students for future roles or simply provide a pathway that benefits employers while offering limited educational value. The emphasis is on ensuring internships contribute meaningfully to the student’s education before a job offer is considered.
Under the updated framework, companies would still be obligated to cover basic costs for students undertaking internships outside their home city, including transportation, meals, and accommodation where applicable. All internship contracts would need to be renewed and aligned with the new regulation before the specified compliance date, currently set for December 31, 2023, with transitional provisions to accommodate ongoing implementations. This ensures a consistent standard across internships while safeguarding learners from exploitation and unstable arrangements.