DigitalES has presented the report “Challenges and evolution of STEM vocations in Spain” in a conference attended by the Secretaries of State for Education and Digitalization, along with representatives of the OECD, universities and companies in the technology sector.

The study, based on a survey of more than 2,000 students, teachers and school administrators, shows that more than half of the students change their academic pathway at key stages. Only 46% maintain their initial choice, and 56% do not opt for STEM studies due to indecision or lack of knowledge of their professional opportunities.

At the opening of the conference, the Secretary of State for Education, Abelardo de la Rosa Díaz, defended the need to integrate technology with a pedagogical and ethical approach, while Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, stressed that learning and working must be increasingly connected. The Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz, stressed that STEM talent is a strategic infrastructure for the country.

• Download the report The STEM Vocations Challenge
• More information
• Full video of the day
• Image gallery

Teacher training, guidance and job connection: the three axes of the challenge

The study identifies three structural factors that condition the development of STEM vocations:

• Teacher training and mathematics: 72% of secondary school students recognize difficulties in mathematics and 87% of the teachers surveyed did not study technical specialties.

• Vocational indecision: only 46% are clear about their formative itinerary and guidance is still not sufficiently connected with the professional reality.

• Disconnection with the labor market: 64% of university students consider that their training is not adapted to the real demands of the profession.

Currently, STEM employment exceeds one million people in Spain, but represents only 8.18% of the national total and only 1.9% of the employment registered in 2025. More than 1.13 million students are enrolled in vocational training, although only 4.4% are enrolled in Dual mode.

Debate: school, business and artificial intelligence

The conference brought together institutional representatives, companies and universities to analyze the challenge from different perspectives.

Sandra Moreno (Accenture), Inmaculada Fernández (Edelvives) and Victoria Fraguas (EY) participated in the round table on the radiography of STEM vocations, who agreed that the problem is not one of capacity, but of orientation and connection with the company.

In the panel on education and guidance, Eva Ledo Cabaleiro (Councilor of Education of the Principality of Asturias), Óscar Codón (Capgemini Foundation), Inés Cervera (IES María de Molina de Madrid) and Laura Cuesta (Camilo José Cela University) intervened, highlighting the need for active methodologies and greater involvement of the business community from an early age.

The dialogue on artificial intelligence featured Jorge Arahuetes (Deloitte) and Miguel Ángel Turrado (HP SCDS), who stressed that AI should be integrated as a pedagogical tool, reinforcing digital and human competencies.

The round table on training and employment dealt with the mismatch between qualifications and the labor market. Participants included Lucila Finkel, Director General of the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy; Pedro Guzmán (Euroformac Group); Juan Carlos Sanz, (NTT DATA); Elda Benítez-Inglott, (PwC); and Cristina Castejón (Carlos III University). The session was moderated by Juan Carlos Tejeda, from CEOE. During the debate, the “skill gap” existing in Spain was analyzed, in a context in which STEM employment exceeds one million people but represents only 8.18% of the national total, and the need to strengthen Dual Vocational Training, reduce the time gap in updating curricula and move towards more agile models such as micro-credentials was defended.

The voice of the youth

The day included the “Future Voices” space , in which María de Iracheta and Rodrigo Sánchez-Bleda, champions of the LEDU University Debate League, debated whether the lack of interest in STEM careers is due more to the educational system or to the social and cultural environment, providing the direct vision of the new generations about their academic and professional future.

Click to enlarge image: