We created this innovation to address a critical gap in Spain’s education system: the lack of career guidance that connects students with real-world professional opportunities. Despite high youth unemployment, many companies struggle to find qualified professionals. Young people often choose their academic paths without understanding the labor market or themselves, leading to poor decisions, disengagement, and limited futures. Our goal was to offer a comprehensive, early-start academic and career guidance model for schools that helps students between 13 and 18 years old make informed, meaningful choices, improving their employability and personal development.
Our innovation is based on three core pillars: (1) a quality framework for academic and career guidance (Xcelence) that helps schools evaluate and improve their practices, (2) integration of professional guidance roles—internal or external—into secondary schools to build bridges within and beyond the school, and (3) active involvement of the business sector through business engagement coordinators and the platform Empresas que Inspiran. We provide training for educators and business partners, digital tools, and direct advisory support to schools and regional governments to ensure sustainable and strategic implementation.
The initiative is expanding through strategic agreements with regional education authorities, municipalities, and business networks. We work directly with schools, train professionals, and engage local businesses to participate in students' career orientation activities. Our tools (Xcelence.es and Empresasqueinspiran.es) are key in scaling the model. We've also joined international networks like the OECD’s Career Readiness project, helping us share and learn from global practices while increasing our reach and legitimacy in the field of career guidance.
We’ve continuously improved the model by updating the Xcelence framework based on more than five years of field experience and national and international input. We've incorporated new learnings from other countries (e.g., Hong Kong's adaptation of the Gatsby Benchmarks) and are planning a full revision with public institutions, universities, and diverse stakeholders. We’ve also expanded training options and strengthened the business-school connection through enhanced tech platforms and a growing network of collaborators in education and employment sectors.
If you want to try it, start by exploring Xcelence.es to assess your school’s current guidance practices and identify areas for improvement. Join one of our training programs designed for educators, guidance counselors, or business liaisons. If you’re part of a regional education department, school, or business, you can contact Fundación Bertelsmann to receive support in implementing the full model, joining our partner networks, and participating in recognition events and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
