Bankia S A : and UNIR launch ‘Viveros de Empleo’ (Job Incubators), a digital project to train and place unemployed people

• The bank and the International University of La Rioja are offering a total of 150 free training places for employment
• The course will start on 2 December and will last for two months
• A total of 70% of those enrolled in the first call for applications launched by these organisations are Bankia customers and 97% were unemployed

On Monday, Bankia and the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), launched the digital project 'Viveros de Empleo Bankia' to offer 150 free training places for unemployed people. Customers of the bank have been given priority to improve their job prospects.

The two-month course is scheduled to start on 2 December. Those interested have until 15 November to enrol, using this link

'Viveros de Empleo Bankia' helps participants improve their skills and abilities to better prepare them for job seeking. Groups of participants work with a coach on the personal and technical aspects of entering and returning to the job market: self-knowledge, emotional intelligence and digital tools for job searching and personal brands, among others.

The first call for ' Viveros de Empleo Bankia ' was popular both at home and abroad, and all 150 places available were taken up. A total of 70% of participants accepted were Bankia customers, 97% were unemployed, 71% were women and the average age was 38 years.

'The job market is being battered by the COVID-19 crisis. Bankia always wants to be close to our customers and other people without a job, which is why we are launching this programme in collaboration with UNIR.

David MenéndezBankia's Director of Responsible Management

'The job market is being battered by the COVID-19 crisis. Bankia always wants to be close to our customers and other people without a job, which is why we are launching this programme in collaboration with UNIR. We want to support them with training, helping them to get back into the job market and provide them with personal and professional skills that they can use in their job seeking endeavours', said Bankia's Director of Responsible Management, David Menéndez.

Marta Carrión, head of the UNIR Viveros de Empleo project, added that 'launching this second call for Bankia Job Incubators sums up the success of the programme, since once we have filled the first 150 places, we are considering giving everyone who was not included in the first edition a second chance. UNIR is honoured to be working with Bankia on this project, because encouraging employment is a priority for us, far more so today that the employment situation in Spain is getting more difficult. We are certain that the incubators (Viveros) will give users the impetus they need to rethink their goals and future careers'.

Lucía Pascual, a participant from La Rioja who took part in the first course, said that this initiative will be 'a boost for people who, like me, have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis. I feel very enthusiastic and keen to start this course and I will make the most of it to get a job in the near future'.

Active training

During the 10-week course, in which UNIR's 100% online methodology will be used, there will be live sessions with a coach, presentations with experts, virtual reality sessions and workshops with Bankia professionals.

Students will address current issues aimed at obtaining a job: current economic vision, recovery expectations, employment and entrepreneurship and job searching, among others.

It is therefore an active training in which participants interact and help each other, and they will be able to generate a network of contacts that include consultants and human resources experts from collaborating companies. To this end, employability conferences are expected to be held to interview users who may cover possible job vacancies.

'Viveros de Empleo' is one of the programmes developed by the Area of Professional Openings and Employability of UNIR with the aim of helping students improve their skills and abilities in order to be better prepared to search for a job.

Bankia and the UNIR Foundation signed an agreement early this year to grant scholarships to 50 women residing in Spain and taking a STEM degree (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) with the aim of boosting women's talent..

Bankia

Bankia consolidates and reinforces its commitment to society through five priority lines of social action: employment and training, housing, local and rural development, disability and the environment. The bank is focusing its social investment on these areas and shows its commitment to society by involving the entire organisation and its employees. The Responsible Management policy is a capillary, grassroots programme that connects the bank's welfare work with its corporate objectives. This enables Bankia to prioritise five of the 17 SDGs: Climate action (SDG 13), Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), Quality education (SDG 4), Sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and SDG 17, which encompasses them all, partnerships to achieve the objectives.

UNIR

UNIR is a one hundred percent online university that offers quality higher education through the most innovative technologies, always placing the student at the centre of its activity. This university offers 25 official degrees, more than 100 postgraduate degrees and 3 doctoral programmes that aim to bring a comprehensive and personalised education to the more than 50,000 students who work in their on-site/virtual classrooms from more than 100 countries, especially in Spain and Latin America. Its teaching method, adapted to the labour market demands, makes UNIR a true social lever that breaks down barriers and helps everyone, wherever they are, to fulfil their dreams of obtaining a university degree and building their future.