Digital professions as a lever for integration for young people from the Mediterranean region

Training young Mediterranean people in digital professions

Digital professions are on the up, but it's important to ensure that everyone can practice them. This is the issue addressed by the 3 players we met in Barcelona. Intermedia's “Singulars” program aims to guide and train young people aged between 16 and 29 in vulnerable situations. Orientation and job placement support sessions, as well as customized training courses, are organized in connection with the new digital professions: E-commerce, Customer Service and Logistics, Marketing and Advertising in Digital Environments and Social Networks, and Web Programming.

Intermedia propose le programme « Singulars » qui vise à guider et former des jeunes entre 16 et 29 ans en situation de vulnérabilité. Des séances d'orientation et d'accompagnement au placement, ainsi que des formations sur mesure, en lien avec les nouveaux métiers du numérique sont organisées : E-commerce, Service Client et Logistique, Marketing et publicité dans les environnements numériques et réseaux sociaux et Programmation Web.

Discovery of Intermedia training offers and the IntermediaJobs platform, Barcelona, April 2024 © MedNC

The Gentis foundation has set up an inspiring rural integration scheme to help young people who are isolated and far from the training opportunities available in major urban centers to acquire digital skills. The GarageLab offers young people the chance to explore digital technologies through the making and use of 3D printing equipment. Through activities and visits to companies, young people are encouraged to discover the latest technological innovations and understand their application in different business sectors. By focusing on training activities in collaboration with local partners, GarageLab promotes young people's empowerment and strengthens their commitment to their community. For example, Alexandra and Oreul, two young participants in GarageLab activities, designed a wooden trophy using a 3D printer for the “Premi Literari de Teatre La Carrova” in the town of Amposta. This project illustrates how young people can apply their digital skills to create tangible objects and participate in local cultural events. These bridges interested the experts and could be replicated in their own structure.

Workgroup on essential digital skills for Mediterranean Youth, Barcelona, April 2024 © MedNC

Testimony of Alexandra and Oreul about their experience of the GarageLab, Barcelona, April 2024 © MedNC

It's important to think about the jobs of tomorrow, while making sure no one is left behind!

—  Jaume, trainer at the GarageLab of the Gentis Foundation

Somos F5 is Spain's first network of schools dedicated 100% to the digital sector, based on the premise that it is often seen as inaccessible and undiversified. Its aim: to promote the diversity of digital talent and the inclusion of groups under-represented in the sector. Somos F5 adopts an inclusive approach and welcomes all types of profiles in its training courses. The school offers three types of training: web development, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. All are financially supported. To round off the visit to Factoria, the Factoría team presented the Zing F5 AI Challenge project, an initiative launched to promote artificial intelligence learning and encourage social innovation. The Nous Cims foundation has been working with Factoría for 7 years, and shared its experience of the collaboration between the two organizations.

Training session for trainers à Somos F5, Barcelone, Avril 2024 © MedNC

Introducing young people to basic digital skills

Imagining projects that teach basic digital skills to young people is not enough; it is crucial to ensure that trainers have all the essential tools to conduct training effectively. This is why the experts themselves received specialized training. The "Breaking the Code" initiative, organized by Somos F5 on the Flexbox Froggy platform, was a particularly enriching experience for them. This engaging platform allowed the experts to dispel their own prejudices about coding through a hands-on learning approach. Each participant completed several exercises that introduced fundamental coding concepts. This initiative demonstrated that coding is not as challenging as it might seem and that even those with no prior experience can succeed.

What next?

Inspired by the experience mission on digital topics, the network members are planning to organize the next Youth Exchange on this theme. A partnership between Al-Jisr and Somos F5 is being discussed to enhance the digital skills of the trainers. Exciting prospects are emerging for the members following this experience!