Malaga province's skilled future workforce meets prospective employers at TalentLab

What are 'soft skills'? Everyone wants them, but few really know what they are: key qualifications, without which a candidate would not be able to land a job or at least that's what many employers believe.

They are only part of the deal, however. In many cases, only applicants who have successfully completed their studies or internships and spent time abroad receive that longed-for job interview. A combination of a strong resume and the right attitude is therefore clearly key to being a good candidate and landing the desired job.

The second phase (training) of the SUR's sixth TalentLab Málaga, which started early in the morning on 22 April, focused exactly on introducing young people who have proven their skills and talents to prospective employers.

The sky was clear and buses and trains were running on time. However, not everyone at the Palacio de Ferias on Wednesday looked relaxed. Many of the participants are either fresh out of university or about to finish their deegree.

Some are science graduates, others come from the humanities. What they all have in common is the desire to take one of life's most important leaps: find their first job that meets their expectations and is related to their studies.

The number of participating companies has grown this year to include eleven employers, but the essence remains the same: "A project to identify, train and connect young talent in Malaga."

It's not surprising that the participants seemed nervous on Wednesday. Facing the young people over the next couple days are executives and human resources managers from some of the leading companies in the province: EY GDS Spain, Montosa, Leroy Merlin, Synergym, Airzone, Navarro Hermanos, Ebury, EMT, Verdecora, Indra Group and Cemosa.

New training centres are also joining the programme: the European University of Andalucía, the Atlantic-Mediterranean Technological University (Utamed), ESIC-EIG and the International University of Andalucía (Unia). Malaga city council and the provincial authority have also extended their support this year.

TalentLab Málaga combines talks and group activities designed to develop skills such as public speaking, personal branding, resilience and problem-solving. Another key component are the meetings with the executives of the aforementioned companies.

Young people will be able to directly approach them and ask them anything that comes to mind: what training and qualities they value most in a candidate, how to improve employability or what hiring prospects each company has. Professionals who are difficult to access become direct interlocutors for the best talent in Malaga.

The opening activities on Wednesday were dedicated to speeches and presentations by representatives from participating companies and public institutions. "If there's one thing fundamental to a society's progress, it's the fostering of talent," General Manager of Prensa Malagueña Antonio González said.

Mayor of Malaga Francisco de la Torre also visited the event, where he talked about the need to balance personal ambition with the pursuit of the common good. "We must strive to be good people," he said.

The regional government's delegate in Malaga, Patricia Navarro, reiterated the regional government's commitment to vocational training and stated that TalentLab Málaga fulfills "the objective of connecting the talent emerging from schools with the business sector".

The provincial authority's employment representative, Carmen Márquez highlighted the project's capacity to "transform lives". "You're going to connect with the opportunities that companies offer," she told the young participants.

Isabel Hernández and Carolina Suárez (both from the European University) also gave a speech, during which they stated that the path to a first job is smoother if the basics are met. Some candidates have excellent academic records but fall short in fundamental areas such as punctuality and courtesy or demonstrate a narrow view of society.

After a lunch that brought together managers and young people at the same table, fostering a relaxed atmosphere, a sense of calm was finally evident on the faces of the participants. UNIA collaborating professor Miguel Ángel Serralvo led the main activity of the afternoon: 'What Makes the Difference: Real Skills to Stand Out in Your First Job'.

Cover letter, resume, certificates: these are usually the tickets to a job interview. How can one best prepare and demonstrate that they are the ideal candidate? Do they need a suit or new shoes? Should they use the employer's first name or a formal title? Should they ask about the salary immediately? The event answers these and more questions.

TalentLab Málaga continues on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, psychologist and professor at ESIC-EIG Ángel Macías will ask: "What would a person be without their values?" Antonio Rodríguez, director of the business, communication and marketing area at Utamed, will give a presentation on 'The Importance of Communication in Entrepreneurship'.

In the afternoon, the young people will once again have one-on-one meetings with representatives from the participating companies.