The reform of apprenticeship contracts five years later. New regulations, same (quantitative) results

Abstract

The labour reform introduced by Royal Decree-Law 32/2021 aimed, among other objectives, to reduce structural temporary employment and to promote training contracts. Five years later, the analysis of quantitative employment data combined with the regulatory developments enacted since 2021 reveals that the use of training contracts has not increased significantly. Their limited expansion can be attributed to the continued prevalence of alternative mechanisms such as internships, the regulatory complexity of the system, and the insufficient coordination between labour and educational legislation, particularly in training‑through‑work schemes. This article reviews the reform’s objectives, examines the evolution of training contracts, and critically analyses the current regulatory framework, with special attention to RD 1065/2025.