2,000 Paid Internships to Secure Future of Public Service

The Government of Catalonia is rolling out the Noves Vocacions programme, offering 2,000 paid internships to university and vocational training students by 2028. The initiative aims to renew the Generalitat’s workforce as more than 24,000 employees approach retirement age by December 2030, according to government forecasts. Under the Agreement GOV/128/2025 of 20 May, the programme provides financial aid and individualised tutoring to interns across Generalitat departments and autonomous bodies. The effort is designed to attract talent, foster public service vocations, and bring in new professional profiles. During the 2025–2026 academic year, 462 students participated, 400 from university degrees and 62 from vocational training, with 400 internship placements offered through the programme.

Students Gain Real Experience in Public Administration

Andreu García, a political science student at Pompeu Fabra University, completed his internship in the Department of European Union and External Action. He said the experience changed his perception of public service.

We are a very new team, and being able to feel that you are doing useful tasks and that they have a real impact on people is very rewarding.

Marina Folch, a fine arts and cultural heritage graduate from the University of Barcelona, is interning at the National Archive of Catalonia. She highlighted access to specialist equipment and the intensity of the work.

They are not a very large team, which is why all of us students on internships work, and a lot, just like one of them.

Ivo Vizuete, a microbiology student at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, interned in the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food. He noted that paid internships are rare in his field, and the opportunity gave him extra motivation.

In my career, they have been the only paid internships. This, when it comes to working, gives you extra motivation.

Andreu López, who worked in the Artificial Intelligence department, said the public sector is increasingly embracing innovation to streamline administrative processes.

The intention is to make the lives of the Generalitat's own civil servants easier, as there are often complaints about the speed of procedures, but they require a lot of time, and they involve work that used to be done by hand, and that we can now automate.

Financial Support and University Coordination

Interns receive a grant of €10 per hour, paid monthly. Public universities manage student selection based on academic records, and selected candidates are placed in various Generalitat units. The programme has a total budget of €24.2 million over four years and involves more than 1,000 tutors. Students interested in joining must apply through their universities. Further details are available on the Generalitat's official internship portal. Marta Fonseca, from the Public Agency for Professional Training and Qualification of Catalonia, said the programme helps open young people's perspectives to public service as a viable and meaningful career path. A former intern herself at the Diputació de Barcelona, she now serves as a tutor, what she calls "a kind of return to her training." The initiative is part of a broader strategy to modernise the administration and ensure continuity in public services, as outlined in the Generalitat's civil service reform plan.

Primary sources: eb.gencat.cat, cads.gencat.cat. Reported by en.ara.cat, Diari ARA.