According to the Spanish Association of Consultancy Firms (AEC), consultancy firms increased their workforce in Spain by 2.5% in 2024. The data, collected by the 2024 Human Resources Indicators Survey, refers specifically to the 26 companies that are members of this association, representing around 70% of the industry.

It is one that offers stable employment, considering that last year these companies achieved a record 99.4% of professionals on permanent contracts. Consulting has in addition established itself as the first job opportunity for many young people: 41% of new hires in 2024 were for junior positions and, of these, 72% of those selected were in their first job.

Leadership schools
AEC President José María Beneyto asserted, “Talent and consultancy are inseparable terms. Consultancy is one of the great leadership schools in our country. This not only applies to technological innovation or professional excellence, but also to the ability to train people who transform organisations, who understand the complexity of the world, of each business and industry, and who are prepared to anticipate and build solutions.”

The survey looks at other aspects of consultancy-generated jobs, noting that 84% of professionals in the industry work remotely, and 57% of them do so between three and five days a week. In addition, most companies offer flexible start and finish times, 88% of employees have access to paid leave in excess of the collective bargaining agreement, and 63% of leaves of absence are protected with the right to return to the same position.

Investment in training
63% of professionals in the industry have a university degree, with a predominance of qualifications in science and technology. Another 23% come from higher technical education and training, and help to enhance the diversity of profiles, according to the AEC. Consultancy firms, meanwhile, invest in continuing professional development, with an average investment per employee of 434 euros, which represents 31.5 hours of training per person and is well above the national average.

The survey data were released at the second Technological Talent Forum, which also served to present the Tech Talent AEC initiative, a training offering in which the associated companies and the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) collaborate with the aim of promoting technology training throughout Spain. This consists of a university micro-credentialing programme that aims to validate specific technology skills. The aim is to thereby alleviate the talent deficit in the industry and provide practical, adaptive and cumulative training.

The first edition of Tech Talent, between 2025 and 2026, will include courses focused on different provinces, aimed at young people with university degrees and technical training qualifications, active employees and people in the process of retraining. As Beneyto explained, with this programme “the AEC is promoting agile and decentralised training, connecting the university with companies, and offering new opportunities to young people and professionals throughout Spain, as well as outside the big cities. We want to provide training in the areas that are really needed, thereby making a real impact on employability.”

^{Photo: Spanish Association of Consultancy Firms}