Noé Fau Guinda, president of the Hon. COGS of Aragón: “I want to give visibility to this profession”

Social graduate, diploma in Labor Relations from the University of La Rioja, senior technician in Occupational Risk Prevention and socio-labor mediator and auditor, currently presiding over the Hon. Official School of Social Graduates of Aragon

Last March you were appointed president of the College, what has it meant for you? What are the main objectives that you have set for your mandate and what is your strategy to achieve them?

The presidency of the College is a personal and professional challenge, but also an enormous responsibility. It can only be done with great enthusiasm and desire to work. It means taking care of representing the members and their interests. For this task I am not alone. I count with my colleagues from the Governing Board, the territorial delegates and the administrative staff of the College.

Issues such as the social recognition of our profession, the different areas of work in which we can develop our activity, some yet to be explored, or the improvement of work procedures, deadlines and communication as social collaborators of the Administration, are tasks that need attention preferred

We offer members permanent, quality training. In the professional field, we do it through courses and presentations in person and/or online, to review already consolidated knowledge and pay attention to the continuous developments in legislative matters of Labor Law and Social Security. And in the technological field, we provide information on the implementation and progressive expansion of the use of the available means of digital administration and the current and future trend to manage everything through computer applications and telematic procedures.

It is also our objective to consolidate and improve relations with public administrations. To achieve this, I want to maintain permanent contact and seek solutions to the problems derived from the excessive workload, the deterioration of communication channels and the legal uncertainty that this enormous legislation that I mentioned causes us, above all, in its practical application.

In 2020, the pandemic was a turning point in the way our group relates to the Administration. Except for some specific matters, this, being provincial and/or regional, has the limitations that its powers impose on it. At the national level, it is in the corresponding ministries where the complaints of each school and the proposals to solve and improve everything that is not working today as would be desirable must be conveyed. The General Council of Official Colleges of Social Graduates of Spain is concerned with this with enormous interest.

I want to highlight the enormous work carried out in the Council by its President and vice-presidents, the Governing Board and the commissions techniques

At this stage I want to continue with the project of implementation of “Intrajudicial Labor Mediation” and development in our Autonomous Community, with the provision and improvement of the services that the College is already offering, with the incorporation of new features that, in addition, represent new lines of business for professional offices.

The social graduate is a profession unknown to many citizens. I want to give it visibility through advertising in different media and an active presence on social networks

In short, enhance the figure of the social graduate and their skills. It is a fundamental objective that the profession enjoy the prestige and recognition it deserves. In 1925 the first Social Schools were founded in Spain, so in 2025 the centenary of our profession.

___Do you think that the role of the social graduate as an expert advisor in labor relations is sufficiently valued in society? What measures or initiatives do you think could improve its visibility and recognition?

I would say no. I understand that it is due to ignorance of our professional activity. Most people do not know our profession and the scope of our services. It is very important to publicize them and make them known permanently from the General Council, the colleges and the members themselves.

Visibility is increased by being present and participating in all areas of Aragonese society, through attendance at institutional events organized by the autonomous and local Administration, by business and union organizations, by professional organizations, by other professional associations, among others. others.

In addition, it is important that all these institutions know first-hand about the College, our activities, the different areas in which we develop our profession, and all those relevant matters that we offer to graduates social.

Another very important way to make ourselves known is the active presence on social networks, which is beginning to have a lot of impact as an advertising medium.Their accessibility and immediacy are two characteristics that make them essential today    

___What role do technologies such as Artificial Intelligence or social networks have in the current work of the group of social graduates, and how do you think they will they evolve?

In my objectives and priorities I have always expressed the offer to training members in the technological field. Basically, information and courses on implementing the use of the available means of digital administration, which are becoming more and more numerous. Currently, and in the future, all management and processing of labor relations requires everything to be managed through computer applications and telematic procedures.

At the labor conferences, which we will celebrate next November 7 and 8, we will have a presentation on a topic that is beginning to have its importance: artificial intelligence for social graduates. The digital revolution and the introduction of artificial intelligence open new areas of action in the workplace.

The School offers free advice. Do you consider that this activity is sufficiently known in the region, given that until recently it was not a service provided by social graduates?

___Social graduates, in our capacity as technicians in social and labor matters, assume the functions of study, advice, representation and management in all labor and social matters entrusted to us.

___The Official College of Social Graduates of Aragon, in different situations in socio-labor matters, offers citizens who need it advice. It is completely free for the citizen and has no cost for the Administration.

___The General Council works intensively so that social graduates can join the free technical representation or Office Shift in the Social Jurisdiction. It is not necessary to remember our social function.We must be able to access this service and be included in the future free public justice law, being able to provide citizens with complete assistance.

___What challenges is the College of Social Graduates currently facing? Aragon?

There are several that our School has. A very relevant one continues to be the adaptation of our group to the new ways of relating with the Administration and that since the pandemic have been part of our “day to day”. It is constantly evolving both technically and procedurally and in any area. There is no doubt that it has significantly improved the procedures and agility in the procedures. But it is no less true that when problems arise, the resolution is much more costly and time-consuming as we do not have the possibility, quickly, of being able to consult possible solutions.

In another vein, perhaps the biggest challenge faced, not only by the College of Social Graduates of Aragon, but also by those of all of Spain, is the lack of new members. In recent years there has been a decrease in the number of memberships. Therefore, it is important to be able to address the new graduates of the Faculty to make our School visible and influence the numerous advantages that it offers on a professional level.

___Labor mediation is an effective alternative to resolve labor disputes quickly and effectively, avoiding the overload of the Labor Courts, reducing costs and times associated with litigation. What actions are being carried out to promote mediation?

Since 2019, we have been carrying out a project to implement “Intrajudicial Labor Mediation” and development in our Autonomous Community from the College.

Intrajudicial mediation basically consists of that, once the previous attempt at conciliation or mediation before the corresponding administrative service, or before the body that assumes these functions, has failed, and a claim has been made before the Social Court, the parties may make use of the intrajudicial mediation, either at your own request, or by referral of the Social Court itself, when it so observes.

In this case, the parties, with the presence and intervention of a mediator, approach positions to try to resolve their differences, through the signing of an agreement. The figure of the mediator is key in this model, since he is the one who helps the parties find a voluntarily negotiated solution.If the mediation is not successful, this does not prevent the process from continuing until the trial.

I want to continue promoting this project through the lines of subsidies granted by the Government of Aragon, such as aactions of dissemination, dissemination and promotion of mediation aimed at professionals and citizens in general, study and research in the field of the implementation of mediation, and implementation projects and pilot programs in the different judicial districts of Aragon.

___Mutual societies that collaborate with Social Security have an important role in the day-to-day life of companies and consultancies. Any suggestions for the Mutual to offer a more personalized service adapted to the needs of your clients and members?

The mutual societies, in general, are offering a good service, both in terms of advice to clients and members and management in the various procedures to be carried out through the same.

The advance in the different computer applications available to mutual insurance companies, the progress in management and processing, and the specialized areas for advisors, foster a new, more agile and effective scenario, adapted to our needs.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the collaboration and help that mutual societies provide us in our daily work