With the entry into force of new legislation on vocational training in Spain, this May the newspaper El Correo published an interview with our colleague Mónica López, head of recruiting at CMZ. In the interview, she talks about the key role of young talent and vocational training in the group's growth strategy. School-company collaboration has always been a basic pillar. Committing to young talent was already part of our philosophy.
CMZ's collaboration with Vocational Training began in 2012, and since then, we have grown alongside the evolution of educational programmes. Today, we partner with more than 20 educational centres-primarily those in our region, where we share a strong industrial heritage. This ongoing commitment reflects our clear mission: to ensure skilled professionals are part of our teams and to support the development of the local industrial ecosystem.
This year, over 20 students will participate in general DUAL training at CMZ, working toward higher vocational qualifications in specialisations such as:
In addition, another 17 students are completing their intensive DUAL training year at various plants across the group-a figure that underscores our strong commitment to hands-on, real-world training.
Today, CMZ is powered by a strong team of over 500 professionals-a number that has grown steadily and sustainably over time. This development has been assisted by a strong commitment to developing local talent. Vocational Training has been key to including new profiles, especially in the areas of assembly and manufacturing. One "big family" as Mónica points out, "combining experience and youth, driving the company towards major achievements".
After over a decade of experience, we know that in the company-school collaboration, both sides benefit. As Mónica highlights in the interview, "During their DUAL training period, students bring motivation, freshness and a desire to learn". In exchange, they acquire practical skills to supplement the theory, dealing with real-life situations and concrete challenges. For many of them, this experience kick-starts their career.
"At CMZ, we are committed to providing trainees with a comprehensive learning experience that integrates both technical expertise and essential transversal competencies, such as commitment, teamwork, responsibility, and autonomy," explains Mónica. "The DUAL training model further enables us to identify high-potential individuals and actively support their professional development, guiding them through their initial career steps and facilitating their successful integration into the labour market.""
Over the years, the industrial environment has evolved and with it, so has vocational training. It now shows significant improvements in terms of prestige, structure and alignment with labour market requirements, by being to what companies really need.
The recent reform of vocational training legislation grants companies a more active and participatory role-an initiative that has been very well received at CMZ. As Mónica notes, "This shift aligns closely with the approach we have long embraced: actively contributing to the design and development of training programmes and ensuring they are tailored to the actual needs of the industry. Furthermore, it allows us to provide more personalised guidance to students from the outset, through closer and more continuous monitoring."
The new law focuses on the figure of a job coach to support students during their training period. In our case, we fit in naturally because we have a consolidated structure that enables us to welcome and appropriately train participants. "We have skilled workers with a long career who, in addition to their usual job, take on the role of trainers, closely supporting the students. This new reform is a further step towards aligning the education sector and the business world.
Vocational training has become firmly established as a vital source of talent. More than a decade on, we continue to benefit from the collaboration with training centres, which support both our current operations and long-term strategic objectives. The partnership between companies and educational institutions holds significant potential, as it enables the development of professionals who are thoroughly prepared to meet the demands of today's industrial landscape.
CMZ has been manufacturing CNC lathes for over 80 years. With a workforce of more than 500 professionals, our sustained growth has consistently been driven by a strong commitment to nurturing local talent. This strategy allows us to produce over 80% of our lathe components in-house and achieve an average output of 3.5 machines per day..
Assembly, manufacture, design, service and IT... As members of the team, we are all part of a bigger machine that makes everything turn. For that reason, continuing to collaborate actively with the vocational training scheme is not just an option: it is a strategic necessity.
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