What is it?
The National System for Qualifications and Vocational Educational and Training (SNCFP) consists of instruments and actions which are necessary to promote and develop the integration of vocational education and training through the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications. Besides, it aims at promoting and developing the assessment and accreditation of professional competences in order to encourage the professional and social development of the people and to meet the needs of the productive system.
Its basic principles are the following:
- The personal development when exercising the right to work and to choose freely a work or job.
- To meet the needs of the productive system and of employment on a lifelong basis.
- The equal access of all citizens to the different modalities of vocational education and training.
- The participation and cooperation of social agents with public authorities.
- To adapt the training and qualifications to European Union standards.
- The participation and cooperation among the different Public Administrations.
- The promotion of the economic development taking into account the regional needs regarding the productive system.
The development of the National System for Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training promotes the collaboration of Social Agents with Public Administrations, universities, chambers of commerce and educative entities.
Procedures of collaboration and consultation with the different productive sectors and the social partners have been established in order to identify and update the needs for qualifications, as well as their definition and the definition of the associated learning.
Aims
- To empower workers for the labour market.
- To promote a quality vocational education and training.
- To provide information and guidance about vocational education and training, and qualifications for employment.
- To encourage entrepreneurship through the introduction of actions in the vocational education and training to develop business initiatives and self-employment.
- To assess and accredit officially a professional qualification no matter how they were acquired.
- To encourage public and private investments on more qualified workers and to optimise the resources allocated to vocational education and training.
Instruments and Actions
- The National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications and its corresponding Modular Catalogue of Vocational Education and Training.
- A procedure to recognise, assess, accredit and register professional qualifications.
- Information and guidance concerning vocational education and training, and employment.
- The assessment and quality improvement of the National System for Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training to provide pertinent information about the operation of the System and its adaptation to the learning needs of individuals and of the productive system.
Quality and Assessment of the System
The Organic Act 5/2002 of 19 June 2002 on Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training devotes its Title IV to the quality and assessment of the system. The assessment of the National System for Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training (SNCFP) shall aim to guarantee the effectiveness of its actions and its adaptation to the needs of the labour market.
The Government is responsible for the establishment of the SNCFP and the coordination of the assessment processes, with previous consultation to the General Council of Vocational Education and Training without prejudice to the Autonomous Communities competences.
The European Union is developing a lot of initiatives to improve the quality of Vocational Education and Training. One of these initiatives is the Common Quality Assurance Framework (CQAF) for VET in Europe. 
(English).
Besides, a European Network on Quality Assurance in VET was in created in a Conference in Berlin the 3rd of October 2005. Its purpose and composition can be consulted in the following reference document.
(English).
Finally, if you wish to get informed, it is advised to register in the Virtual Community of the CEDEFOP about. Quality Assurance in VET (English).
