The spanish labour market suffers from significant imbalances between supply and demand for qualifications, negatively impacting the employability and productivity. According to the survey conducted by the spanish chamber of commerce, stemming from the results of an annual survey, a high proportion of the enterprises surveyed who had initiated searches of candidates recognise that they have had difficulty finding profiles, especially in skilled jobs. Gaps occur in both technical skills and soft skills, and are more serious in small businesses. Moreover, companies valued negatively the candidates' competencies are, paradoxically, the most readiness to continue to recruit, suggesting an undesirable extension of the open processes due to lack of adequate profiles. Finally, overall, the results suggest a growing willingness of firms to hire new profiles.

The Spanish labor market suffers from significant imbalances between the supply and demand of skills, negatively affecting employability and business productivity. According to the study conducted by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, derived from the results of an annual survey, a high percentage of the companies surveyed that had initiated candidate searches acknowledge having had difficulties in finding suitable profiles, especially in specialized positions. Shortages are observed in both technical competencies and soft skills, and are more serious in small companies. In addition, companies that negatively evaluate the skills of candidates are, paradoxically, those that show the greatest willingness to continue hiring, which suggests an undesired extension of open processes due to the lack of suitable profiles. Finally, in general terms, the results suggest a decreasing predisposition of companies to hire new profiles.

The spanish labour market has been facing for decades to significant imbalances between labour supply and demand, deeply impact both on the quality of jobs available and in the country's economic development. According to the observatory of occupations in the SEPE ( 2024 ), these imbalances not only hinder for individuals to access to decent and productive, but also hinder employment growth, reduce business productivity, slowing economic and social progress.

This misalignment is clearly manifested when their qualifications and competences of the working population does not correspond to the actual needs expressed by companies. Such disconnection affects negatively both jobseekers, as companies, with the difficulties, to fill certain vacancies, at the same time that was made worse by the accelerated pace of technological transformation, digitization and ecological transition, factors that require powers increasingly specific and sophisticated.

In addition, the training provided by the spanish education system is not always aligned with the real needs of the labour market. According To Torres and Fernández ( 2024 ), nearly one third of the spanish population presents a lower educational level to the full secondary education, which far exceeds the european average -cercana to 20 % 2022 -. This low level of education is a major constraint to the employability of a significant part of the population, thus increasing the rate of structural unemployment. Simultaneously, the excessive concentration in formation supérieure universitaire generates another problem: the sobrecualificación. Many university graduates end up to occupy jobs that do not necessitate such a level of education, generate frustration and loss of human capital available.

These imbalances are exacerbated in certain groups, especially among young people. Only a quarter of those between 15 and 24 years employed — significantly lower than the european average -situada around 35 % 2024 -. This phenomenon is closely linked to the high rate of early school dropout rates and inadequate quality of secondary and technical training. The past few years low educational opportunities in key intermediate sectors, certain economic sectors, also contributes to fuelling this situation.

In order to reduce these imbalances is essential to reorient educational policies towards a more pragmatic approach and adapted to real demands of the labour market. Requires educational programmes that combine with solid academic and technical competencies specific digital aligned with business needs.

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The spanish chamber of commerce conducts an annual survey, entitled “ study and training needs ”, within the framework of the Comprehensive Programme of qualification and employment (PICE) project funded by the european Social fund. This initiative is coordinated from the house of Spain at the national level, to be implemented in each territory through the network of local chambers, which enables you to capture more accurately the particularities and specific needs of the labour market in each territory.

The main objective of this study lies in identifying the needs of companies when choosing new staff, focusing especially on the training, competences and skills required in potential candidate countries. The information obtained through this study is essential for the red house speaker, as it can adapt and adjust more effectively the educational opportunities provided by subsequently through the Young Talent.

The questionnaire used contains detailed information on general aspects of the respondent company, such as the previous experience that this has in procurement, the overall assessment of newly recruited staff, the specific needs in terms of recruitment for the future, the specific training required in accordance with economic activity, as well as the additional requirements of information, counselling or institutional support that companies consider important for improving its recruitment.

In this article are to be present and discuss the results from this survey, whose annual sample comprises more than 2 . 500 companies of different sizes and sectors of economic activity throughout the national territory.

With the results achieved, will intensify in the recent trends on the possible mismatch between supply and demand identified in the formative enterprises surveyed, you will be identified which are the powers more sought after by these companies, and will be evaluated in detail the degree of difficulty they have experienced in effective coverage of vacancies offered, among other key aspects that will be explored throughout the article.

2 . 2 . Tensions in the labour market

The imbalance between the needs of companies and the training of candidates can be identified directly through the difficulty experienced by the first in finding suitable candidates to fill their vacancies. This indicator evidence clearly the mismatch between skills offered by applicants for employment and skills that companies really need to effectively perform its functions. High perception of difficulty by companies notes, therefore, a considerable gap between the availability of education and training available and the requirements of the productive fabric.

To this problem, the first results derived from the survey reflect how percentage of businesses point to difficulties in finding adequate profiles has increased significantly, from 55 % 2017 to 70 % 2025 on the total number of companies who initiated recruitment processes in the previous two years. However, it should be noted that this proportion has fallen slightly since the maximum levels of the series ( 71 %) registered in 2024 .

According to the data collected, the difficulty in finding suitable candidates varies considerably depending on the size of enterprise and sector of activity. In general, it is noted that the greater the company, the greater the difficulty given to filling vacant posts, in particular. This may seem contradictory at first, considering that large companies often have greater resources for the dissemination of their job offers and have teams specializing in the capturing of talent. However, one possible explanation is that, as companies increase their size, tend to fine-tune and make their operations, which implies the opening of posts with highly specialized requirements. This phenomenon causes all potentially suitable candidates be reduced considerably, making it difficult to find a profile that complies with the skills required.

The sectoral analysis also reveals a widespread difficulties. On average, more than 80 per cent of the companies surveyed in each economic sector have expressed difficulties in filling vacant posts, whether they be in low-skilled, or both, with particularly severe in sectors such as extractive industries, where all participating companies reported difficulties in finding a suitable candidate.

In addition, it is an important difference in the degree of difficulty perceived between highly specialized jobs and those that require a lesser degree of specialization, much greater in the first. This gap is presented in almost all sectors, except in the hospitality and tourism, where such difference is reduced. This could be explained by the particular characteristics of the services sector in Spain, especially in areas such as catering and tourism, on the training requirements are less likely to be compared with specific industrial sectors.

2 . 3 . The imbalance in supply and Demand for training

The above results suggest a certain skills mismatch between supply of work available and the specific needs expressed by companies. This phenomenon is particularly important because it has a direct impact on the efficiency of the labour market, having an impact both in the business productivity and employability of persons in active job-searching.

The following chart shows the percentage of enterprises surveyed who feel "" insufficient knowledge, skills and competencies of candidates who were interviewed. The results are detailed segmented according to the company size and specific competence valued. As A main conclusion is extracted how the percentage of signatures that are seen as insufficient knowledge, skills and competencies of candidates there is a rising trendover the historical series available. Specifically, it has been observed since the year 2017 a growing general dissatisfaction by companies to the capacities of the candidates, demonstrating a progressive deterioration in the business perception on the suitability to your needs of human capital available in the market.

An important issue that emerges from an analysis by business size is that this dissatisfaction tends to be more pronounced the smaller companies. A possible explanation comes from the argument presented in the preceding paragraph. Small less resource-related and limited capacity to perform a search wide and effective implementation of talent, for what they earn a smaller segment random and the labour market. Therefore, face greater difficulties in identifying and attracting profiles which are held fully accountable to their specific needs, seeing on many occasions forced to comply with candidates who do not meet all the desired qualities or who display serious lapses in certain key competences.

Moreover, a remarkable result and that contradicts partially a widespread perception in the labour market — which tends to focus the attention primarily on the shortage of advanced technical competencies — is the increasing weight that the enterprises surveyed attach to the shortfall in cross-cutting skills, collectively known as soft skills. Among these competencies are substantially the foreign language skills, capacities, commercial and marketing, as well as the personal skills or interpersonal. Although these shortcomings affect companies of all sizes, concern is heightened considerably for microenterprises and small businesses. These organizations are paid a significant gap in these powers, probably resulting from the limitations referred to above to attract candidates with more comprehensive profiles, in contrast to large enterprises, which provide a more moderate level of dissatisfaction.

However, one must not underestimate the importance of technical expertise or specific hard skills,especially those related to knowledge and skills técnico-profesionales digital, linked to the information and communication technologies (ICT). More specifically, the percentage of businesses inadequate knowledge and skills of candidates knowledge técnico-profesionales is concerned, it was also increasing over the years, particularly in the current context characterized by a quick digitization and a high rate of technological innovation. This phenomenon shows all the more worrying in the segment of micro and small enterprises, where the percentage of dissatisfaction with the technical and professional expertise was overcoming the 30 per cent in both small businesses ( 10 to 49 workers) and microenterprises (until 9 workers).

Similarly, another area of concern. The proportion of businesses who qualify as “ high ” (above levels “ adequate ”) the skills and expertise of the candidates had a growing trend to the year 2022 , experiencing since that year, a startling drop. This fact reflects widespread displacement towards perceptions of lower quality, with a simultaneous increase in the proportion of businesses who value the competencies of their candidates as a “ right ” or “ insufficient ”, thus reinforcing the idea of a gradual deterioration of the business perceptions on knowledge and skills of the labour force.

The sectoral analysis also offers interesting dimensions for understanding the extent and characteristics of these imbalances. Stresses in negative terms the sector of catering and tourism, which has many unmet high in a number of powers, particularly in business skills and marketing, foreign languages, and personal competence. On the contrary, sectors such as construction and the rest of the services are a moderate level of discontent, although significantly high in some specific competences.

Against this background, it is interesting to compare the results outlined above with the relative importance that businesses themselves attributed to each of the competences evaluated. Clearly identify in which specific areas of knowledge and skills gap occurs more serious is key to conduct training and educational efforts towards those most critical aspects for the productive fabric.

The supplementary analysis, reflected in the chart below, provides precisely this information in revealing the ratio of corporations is almost as important "" or "very important" different competencies, both soft as hard skills. The overall results suggest that companies attaches particular importance to certain social and interpersonal skills, such as the skills for interpersonal communication, the domain of the national language — in particular to employ foreign workers — leadership skills and innovation, among others. In the background, although still a significant importance, appear knowledge related to customer service and a basic level of ict.

This pattern introduced important nuances by economic sector evaluated. For example, the tourism sector and hoteliers with great intensity emphasises the importance of skills in customer service and foreign languages, competencies that are less relevant in sectors such as construction or extractive industries. Conversely, the domain básico-intermedio of ict is particularly appreciated in industries of water and energy and other services, while the extractive industries attach less importance to these skills in digital form.

Comparing these results with those obtained from the previous entries include how the candidates' expertise valued as insufficient by the higher percentage of businesses - foreign languages or business capacity and marketing -, are somehow less important for them in accordance with the above figure, although it is high figures in any case: on 72 % believe that the skills related to the customer service and marketing are important, while more than 50 % indicates that the knowledge of foreign languages is large or very important.

2 . 4 Anticipation of recruitment.

The apparent deterioration of the perception that corporations on the knowledge and skills of candidates not only appears to compromise the immediate capacity of enterprises to fill their vacancies, but could also have an impact on the prospects for recruitment in the medium term. In turn, be stressed that the provision of business to incorporate new staff is also influenced by external factors as the evolution of the national economy and international macroeconomic expectations, or the level of business confidence.

In this context, to assess the willingness of the companies to engage in the short and medium term becomes a key indicator to anticipate the evolution of the labour market, especially with regard to the demand for labour. Less intention to hire relates to the expectation of potential adverse scenarios (falling revenues, contraction of consumption or even a possible episode of economic crisis), but it could also reflect an increase in tension in the labour market owing to the difficulty of identifying suitable candidates.

In order to grasp this prospective dimension, the survey includes specific questions about future intention of the enterprises surveyed to open new positions, as labour shows the following chart.

The predisposition to recruit manifests itself differently according to whether companies that have recently initiated new recruitment processes (in the 2 Recent years) or those that have not done so. In the first case, the proportion of businesses that do not anticipate new appointments have stabilized at around 30 per cent, as indicated by the line, that is, around 70 per cent of these signatures it intends to carry out recruitment in the near future. The companies that have a dynamism of active labour market are more likely to further recruitment of staff are women who do not carry out recruitment for a long time.

In the second case, between companies that have not opened recently recruitment processes, there is a sustained increase in the proportion of businesses that do not plan to open new vacancies in the near future. The broken line reveals a clear upward profile, indicating a growing reluctance to expand its patterns. in particular, something more than 75 % of companies that had not made recently nor recruitment is expected to include new labour force in the near future.

On a sectoral basis, represented in the chart below, the results show that companies with higher propensity to engage in the last editions of the survey are mainly in the water and energy sectors, as well as of catering and tourism, both with averages in the period 2023 - 2025 above 69 Per cent. Figure shows the ratio of companies that intend to conduct new recruitment, segmented by industry — represented by the horizontal —, surveys and recent experience in recruitment processes — indicated through if initiated triangles recruitment processes in the previous two years, and diamonds, if you do not have hired recently —.

Thus, for example, in the latest edition of the survey ( 2025 ), 64 % of all enterprises of the hotel sector plans to undertake new hires. However, this proportion varies considerably in its history: only the next 35 % of companies that had not begun recruitment processes recently planned compared to staff 74 per cent of those that it opened selection processes in the past two years.

In contrast, the agriculture and services (excluding catering and tourism) there is less willingness to recruit, with averages close to the 50 % and even a downward trend in recent years.
In addition, it is noteworthy that in the last edition of the survey did not see any sector with more than 80 % of companies committed to introduce new recruitment processes among those that have previously made. In this regard, the companies of the agricultural sector are the smaller percentage within this group.

It is important to make that sectoral basis, a high percentage of companies that hire does not necessarily mean that there is provision for a higher economic growth. In some cases, this situation may be more responsive to the high temporality and rotation of staff in certain sectors, such as construction or catering establishments, which indicates a constant preposition of vacancies, more than an expansion of template. In turn, a recurrent high and will recruit could be linked to tensions in the labour market, as firms do not find adequate profiles for their positions and must keep open recruitment processes for longer.

With regard to the latter, given the possibility that part of the high predisposition to recruit -referente to black triangles in the previous shape- responds to selection processes still open for lack of suitable candidates — reflecting greater tension in the labour market — the following chart shows the proportion of businesses that new recruitments planned according to the assessment on the powers of candidates who had applied recently. As can be seen, on average, the companies that have appreciated more refusal to applicants tend to maintain greater intention to hire. This suggests that, after failing to find adequate profiles for filling of vacancies, many companies are forced to keep open its selection processes. In this way, part of the high exposure to hire companies have recently opened recruitment processes could be linked to imbalances in the qualification of the labour supply.

Throughout this article have analysed the current imbalances of the spanish labour market, using as the focal point in the results obtained from "Study of training needs and survey", developed by the spanish chamber of commerce in cooperation with the red house speaker. This analysis has identified a priori the existence of some structural problems in terms of training and expertise available from the labour supply off the real and concrete demands of the business fabric.

Firstly, it is important to stress that these imbalances identified do not constitute a problematic punctual or cyclical but reflect a trend that has intensified in recent years. The data reveals that a high percentage of the enterprises surveyed who had initiated searches of candidates was currently experiencing difficulties in finding suitable candidates to the positions offered, particularly in highly specialized profiles. This represents a strategic challenge, not only for the companies involved, but also for the whole of the spanish economy, adversely affect the productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of long-term economic growth.

One of the key messages that emerge from the analysis is the growing gap between the skills acquired by workers and the skills that companies consider essential. The business concern by the so-called soft-skills. In addition, the results also suggest significant gaps in specific expertise, particularly in smaller companies, with limited resources to attract talent and provide adequate complementary internal training.
Another relevant aspect is taken from the analysis is the negative impact of these imbalances in the forecasts of future recruitment by companies. In principle, are the companies that worse value the ability and skill of the candidates who are planning to undertake recruitment in the near future. The persistent gap between supply and demand of talent and the difficulty finding profiles, seem to have an impact on the need for companies in recruitment.

Since the sectoral scope, it is clear that difficulties and needs vary significantly depending on whether the economic activity. Furthermore, requirements of the construction sector and the hospitality and tourism, particularly active in terms of willingness to recruit, could reflect a high turnover and temporality. These positions require training and labour policies.

The analysis according to the business size also reveals important nuances. Although large firms tend to better resourced to attract talent, paradoxically, face greater difficulties in filling positions for highly specialized, which could be due to the increasing sophistication and complexity of its business processes. On the other hand, micro and small enterprises are particularly affected the gap, resulting mainly from its limitations in dissemination, selection and attraction of candidates.

The debate that emerges from these findings is broad and open several important questions for collective reflection and future research:

• how can we reform the system of education and vocational training for effectively align it with the needs of the modern labour market and future?
• how can intervene public and private actors in the design of a joint strategy of job skills training, capable of reducing the imbalances in general and specific powers?
• would it be possible to establish effective incentives for companies - especially smes - to improve their access to highly trained profiles?
• what role can play the new technologies, digitization and continuing education throughout the entire working life in reducing these imbalances?

To move forward in this direction, it is urgent that we invest in comprehensive policies involving both public and private institutions, including the education sector and corporate entities, as well as the intermediate chambers of commerce, provides critical público-privada collaboration in the early identification of training needs, establish effective systems of labour and promote specific programmes that allow for a more training production reality of the country, generating a more dynamic labour market, fair and competitive, and laying the groundwork for a sustained and sustainable economic growth in the long term.

Public employment service – SEPE State ( 2024 ). Labour market trends in spain 2024 . Observatoire des Occupations.

Torres, R. and Fernández, M.J. ( 2024 ). Challenges of the spanish labour market. Sketchbooks Economic Information, 299 (marzo-abril 2024 ). Ed. Provided by idescat.