Job stability and security are among Spanish people’s main concerns. At Iberostar, we believe companies are responsible for supporting people’s integration into the labor market via training, bringing them closer to the real needs of each industry. Unemployment affects younger generations most, and public-private cooperation is the key to changing this. 

Education is the driving force for progress. That’s why we launched an  initiative  to promote Dual Vocational Training and joined forces with the Alliance for Dual Vocational Training, among other actions. Dual Vocational Training is an excellent way to develop key skills and abilities for the tourism industry—skills that go beyond theoretical studies. In Spain today, only 3% of students choose a Dual Vocational Training program, an option that enables 60% of young people to get a job after completing their training. With a youth unemployment rate approaching 30%, companies are responsible for supporting such  training. 

Accordingly, we created the Dual Vocational Training program for students and young professionals seeking to enter the tourism industry and build a career in our company. We offer them the opportunity to learn, receive compensation while training, access employment opportunities after completing the program, and develop a career plan. The main objective of this program is to train and develop young talent to meet our company’s needs for skilled workers. 

From now on, at our hotels in the Balearic and Canary Islands, vocational training students can learn from the best professionals in the hospitality industry—employees of the great Iberostar family. We will start by offering training in our bars, restaurants, and kitchens, and we hope to create opportunities in other areas. Similarly, we are coordinating with programs already operating in Mexico and Jamaica to standardize local vocational training for Iberostar.  

 

In addition, we always keep in mind that the people we hire  stay and achieve professional success alongside us. Based on our values and under a family management system, our socially responsible recruitment model results in transparency and the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Consequently, 72.5% of our contracts are permanent, and our employees rate their well-being at the company as 8.6 out of 10.

In conclusion, we are promoting vocational training because of its importance for social progress, as it is the driving force for youth employability and increasing companies’ competitiveness. Our efforts toward creating a better environment do not only apply to sustainability— where we lead the industry—but also to people. That’s why we keep working to achieve higher and more satisfactory integration into the labor market. 

 

Sandra Serrano Frau, Dual Vocational Training Direct.