Spain is interesting...
The system works like this...
Enaire, the state provider, publishes a "Convocatoria" (no accents as I'm on an English keyboard and don't know how) whenever they want to recruit new ATCOs and they do it in large batches. In the last few years these have varied between 140 and 80 approx. They published their latest convocatoria last week and it closes on December 15th (Google Enaire Convocatoria) so your partner hasn't got long to apply. Applicant numbers typically vary between 1200 and 1800 but most are ruled out early on due to their level of English language proficiency which breaks them during FEAST.
It is a public process that takes place in phases, reducing the number of applicants at each phase. I haven't read the process for this year (the "Bases") but I think the phases are something like...
1 - FEAST 1
2 - FEAST 2
3 - FEAST 3, English language test and Psycho interview
4 - Group exercise and professional interview
Or a variation of the above. All tests take place in Madrid and take place over a three month period or so. You have to travell to Madrid for each phase. Maybe FEAST 1 and 2 take place on the same day, with those who don't pass leaving after FEAST 1 and the rest proceeding to FEAST 2, I'm not 100% sure, but either way you're travelling to Madrid at least 3 times if you get the job.
At each stage of the process the names of all applicants are published online for all to see. There is no way you can apply in secret. Also, all candidates are ranked in order from test one (best to worst). At the end of the process, all those who have passed the process are published. There may be more passes than places available i.e. they might publish a list of 100 "passes," but only the top 80 get the job offer. if anyone doesn't take up the job for any reason then they carry on down the list to number 81 etc, however number 81 might not find out until 18 months after the closure of the process that they are being offered the job because...
Once you get through and you are offered the job, you have 18 months from the date of the offer to return to ENAIRE with a student ATC licence that contains the following APP, APS, ACC, ACS, GMC, TCL, AIR (have I missed one? GMC?) basically, all the ratings. You pay for this yourself and if you fail the course you lose the money (75k euros approx) (but see below ref Schools). If you get the ratings and enter Enaire then subsequently fail, Enaire reimburse you the cost of the rating training. Enaire also have an agreement with the banks whereby if you take the loan for your training with their bank, you don't start repaying until you enter Enaire.
The schools...
FTE Jerez, Senasa, Entry point North (via Nelso) and Skyway (the FerroNATS school) exist, although I'm not sure how much training Skyway does for potential Enaire entrants as opposed to only for their own, non-state towers.
The schools are all private and compete with each other, therefore...it is no surprise that nobody (to my knowledge) ever fails a course. Everyone gets their ratings and enters Enaire. I have an opinion on the standard of training but that's not for here.
Thereafter you enter Enaire. Where you work depends on the following -
When Enaire know they are going to recruit they consult all of their units to find out how many vacancies they have. Let's say they have 120 across Spain. They then offer these vacancies to current Enaire controllers who want to move from their existing place of work to a new place e.g. malaga tower to Madrid ACC because they go up a pay grade. the right to move is based on seniority alone. Vacancies at Madrid are always taken by existing Enaire controllers, as are moves to ACCs like Sevilla whey the work life balance is great. After the internal process their remain 120 places, but these are now in different places from the original 120 that have been divied up between existing ENAIRE controllers.
Depending on where you finish in the ranking, you get to choose first where you want to work. This means that there is no link between the potentially "best" controller and the most complex work location. They tried to address this last time round by having a one day assessment using Enaire controllers to identify those with the most potential and limit their choices, however they were comparing people with ATC licences against people who hadn't even started a basic course so the results can only have been patchy at best - although this is only speculation on my part.
Once you are in, it is highly unlikely that you will fail your training. I've been in and around the process for 5 years or so now and I know of only three people who have failed their training after entering Enaire, and I'm fairly certain that this is everyone. This is 3 out of around 350, all of whom had entered from schools where I do not know of anyone who has failed a rating course.
Anyone up for a trip to Benidorm?