Publication CEPYME500 2017

#PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SECTOR
Consulting, a broad and diverse sector
This sector is very broad and considerably diverse,
as it includes different types of Advanced Services
to Companies (SAE) through strategic and human
resources consultancies, communication and technology,
audit and professional services, mainly in the
legal field.
It is a strategic sector for the Spanish economy,
not only quantitatively, representing almost 4.5% of
GDP, close to 60,000 companies and 700,000 jobs
throughout the country (3.5% of the active population);
but also qualitatively by its very nature, as it is devoted
to helping companies in other areas, such as finance,
technology or public administrations, to successfully
carry out key aspects of their activity.
In other words, in addition to what the sector contributes
directly to the national economy, it also participates
in part of the wealth created by other sectors.
After all, this is the main objective: to improve the
work of other companies and professionals.
For example, everyone agrees that the spectacular
increase in exports has been one of the keys to
weather the recession in Spain, as many companies
from various sectors have compensated or mitigated
their losses in the national market by increasing
the revenues generated abroad. Considering the
traditional profile of Spanish companies, marked by
SMEs and the national market, consulting and other
professional services have been decisive in helping
companies decide where and how to commit to
external markets. The need and opportunity were
present, but in many cases the difference between
doing it right or wrong relied on putting yourself in the
hands of consultants and other expert professionals.
In addition, it is a very productive, flexible and innovative
sector. This has kept it in a good position and
is now allowing it to emerge from the crisis before
others, which in turn also helps the general recovery.
Thus, over the past three years, SAE firms have been
creating jobs at a rate of 4%, well above the national
average. Among other reasons, it has been because
of the emergence of already present phenomena
such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence
or big data, for which not only technological consultancies
are vital, but also other experts in knowledge
management, data protection or the search and
training of the new profiles demanded by the new
economic and social reality.
It is also a sector that helps to tackle one of the big
problems that our country faces: youth unemployment.
Many companies have already recovered
pre-recession levels of first employment and hiring of
recent graduates. Besides, we must remember that
these jobs are more qualified than in most sectors,
as more than 70% of our workers are university graduates.
In terms of growth, since the start of the recovery in
2014, this sector has grown at an average rate of
5%, well above the national trend (3%), and in some
areas, even more. According to the National Institute
of Statistics, legal activities, accounting and business
management consulting grew by more than 8% last
year and almost by 12% in the first half of this year.
All the above have put us on the path of very promising
prospects, because if the consulting and professional
services sector is doing well, it means that the
economy is in good shape too.
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