The Government of the Canary Islands, through the Ministry of Social Welfare, has promoted the Urdimbre program, focused on socio-labor training and employment access for migrant minors and former wards. The Vice-Minister of Social Welfare, Francisco Candil, recently visited a group of 16 young people receiving specific training in the Basic Room Operations cycle, including customer service and serving, in the dining room of a hospitality establishment.
This initiative, developed in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria and the ISCE Higher Education Integrated Center, aims to offer a life project opportunity to young people from countries such as Mali, Gambia, Morocco, Senegal, and Guinea Conakry. The goal is to provide them with a pathway to the labor market and, at the same time, meet the demand for young labor in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture, construction, automotive, and services.
Francisco Candil highlighted the participants' resilience and noted that the program, launched in early 2025, has successfully provided socio-labor training to approximately 1,200 young people, with another 840 already having accessed employment.
Ramón Redondo, Director of Internal Trade and Employment at the Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria, explained that the objective is to train a total of 250 minors and former wards, preparing them for sectors with high demand such as the automotive industry, nautical sector, agriculture, mechanics, electricity, or the specialty of hotel housekeeping.
Natalia Lorenzo, Director General of ISCE, emphasized the comprehensive nature of the training, which includes Spanish classes, social skills, occupational risk prevention, and specific modules in occupations demanded by the Canary Islands business sector, such as tourism, services, vehicle maintenance, or boat maintenance. Of the 250 students in the various training cycles, 164 have already completed their practical training or joined the labor market.
The Ministry of Social Welfare has established agreements with over 200 companies on the islands within the framework of the Urdimbre program, aiming to enhance the qualifications of former wards, promote their social, educational, and labor inclusion, and meet the demand for skilled labor in key sectors of the Canary Islands' business fabric.
