If you are interested in improving your employees’ language skills, you should know that there are several ways to fund their language training. One of them is through FUNDAE. In this post we explain what FUNDAE is, how it works, who can access its subsidies and how to apply for them.
What is FUNDAE?
FUNDAE (Fundación Estatal para la Formación en el Empleo, the Spanish state foundation for workplace training) is the body responsible for managing employee training in Spain. Its aim is to encourage continuing training and improve workers’ qualifications, thereby increasing their productivity and competitiveness in the labour market. To that end, it offers companies grants and subsidies so they can train their employees in different fields of knowledge, languages included. You will have heard of it many times: it is what used to be known as the “fundación tripartita”.
How does FUNDAE work?
FUNDAE works in a fairly straightforward way. Companies can apply for support for their employees’ training through its website. To do so, they must meet certain requirements, such as being up to date with their tax and social security obligations and having a minimum number of employees. Once the application is approved, FUNDAE grants the company a sum of money so that it can fund its employees’ training in whichever languages they choose. The money can be used for in-person, online or blended courses, and the company must ensure that the employee attends the classes and makes good use of the training.
Who can benefit from FUNDAE?
FUNDAE is aimed at employees and companies registered with the Spanish social security system and paying vocational training contributions. All companies can benefit from the subsidies, whatever their size or sector. It is important to note, however, that FUNDAE does not fund training for self-employed workers.
How to apply for FUNDAE
To apply for FUNDAE, the company must go to the FUNDAE website and register. Once registered, it needs to complete the application form, giving the company’s details, the employees who will be trained and the courses they will be enrolled on. Once the application has been submitted, FUNDAE will check that the company meets the requirements and will award the funding. The company must pay for the training and then claim the reimbursement from FUNDAE.
How do you work out your credit?
FUNDAE offers a very handy tool for working out the credit each company is entitled to. Using this link (the credit simulator) you can run a simulation by answering three short questions about your company: whether it is newly created, its workplaces and the amounts contributed in the previous year. Have your social security contribution statements to hand. You will need to know how much the company contributed for vocational training and the size of the workforce during the previous year (the statements covering the period from December of one year to November of the next, so that the full year is included).
Make the most of it!
One final note on FUNDAE. Many companies fail to use their credit simply because they do not know about it. Employers very often have no idea that they have access to this funding and therefore never spend the credit they are legally entitled to. As it is subsidised, it is a great opportunity to give your employees more options, tools and skills so that they perform better at work. What is more, you can take that training at ALOS, where we will be delighted to guide you through the paperwork for claiming the credit and to deliver the courses in person at our premises, at your company or online. Get in touch!