Training provision offered by the Education authorities

The training provision offered by the education authorities is regulated by the Departments or Regional Ministries of Education of the autonomous communities within their respective areas of responsibility, and by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports (MEFD) in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla.

The autonomous communities regulate and manage Adult Education (Educación para Personas Adultas – EPA), with the following characteristics:

• they hold administrative ownership of the educational institutions within their territory;
• they create and authorise institutions;
• they manage staff;
• they develop the educational planning/programmes;
• they organise distance or blended learning provision.

Training provision offered by the Employment authorities

The training provision offered by the employment authorities is regulated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy (MTES), in collaboration with the State Public Employment Service (SEPE), and by the autonomous communities in collaboration with their respective regional public employment services.

SEPE is the competent body for the planning, management and supervision of vocational education and training provision linked to active labour market policies and workplace training throughout the national territory in the following circumstances:

• when the provision extends beyond the territorial scope of a single autonomous community;
• when coordinated action is required;
• when it involves training actions relating to areas of exclusive State competence (e.g. migrant workers in their country of origin).

Likewise, SEPE is also responsible for the planning, management and supervision of training provision in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla.

The autonomous communities are responsible for the implementation and monitoring of this training provision within their territorial area, within the framework established by State regulations.

As active labour market policies have been devolved to the autonomous communities, they have their own regional public employment services.

Training provision offered by the Local authorities

The very nature of Adult Education (EPA) explains why local authorities are particularly involved in organising training provision, especially non-formal education (and formal education in cases where agreements are concluded with the education authorities).