The Vice President of students of the University of Navarra, José López Guzmán, presented the VIII Forum of employment organized by the Foundation business -University of Navarra and the Careers Services of the center. In his speech he wanted to remember the International Working Women's Day, and said that "we have to be very concerned about apply for to companies that make the skill of women in the business world a reality, as they deserve".

As he explained, this Forum is part of the Week of employment, which has 11 information sessions on employment opportunities of different Schools, 140 professionals from companies and institutions, 43 participating companies and 250 offers of internships and work. The novelty is that this year seven companies have carried out selection processes throughout the day of the Forum. In addition to the Foundation business-University of Navarra and the Careers Services, Iberdrola, Banco de Vasconia and the Navarre Service of employment collaborated in the organization.

Innovation and entrepreneurship

The VIII Week of employment of the University of Navarra will be held until Friday, the 10th. Regarding this initiative, Ángel Luis Rodríguez San Vicente, director-General Manager of the Navarre Service of employment, commented that "it is important because it makes it possible to access the best jobs. The University of Navarra is helping us with one of the most pressing problems we have: employment university. Fortunately, the number of students in Navarre is high, but it is a capital that has to be adapted to a reality that moves at different rates".

Rodríguez San Vicente has informed about some of the guidelines that the working world is now following: "The incorporation of women in work is an absolute priority, especially when they play such an important role in the university environment. We must also bear in mind that the world is not only limited to Pamplona and Navarra, but also to Madrid, Bilbao, Amsterdam.... What I mean by this is that you have to get out and about.

"In addition," he continued, "if the training chosen by a student does not correspond to his or her way of work, one should not think that he or she is doomed to unemployment or underemployment, but rather that he or she has the opportunity to retrain. Innovation and entrepreneurship are also essential.

For Rodríguez San Vicente, the sector that has the most to say right now is the service sector: "It has a leave presence and it is essential to develop it because it generates a large number of employment". Regarding the profile that the business is looking for today in a university student, the director-General Manager of the Navarre Service of employment has commented that "they must have knowledge of their degree program, know languages, computers, innovate, adapt to new technologies (Internet), be willing to move and, above all, be eager to work. It has been proven that recent graduates, in a period of no more than two years, can acquire positions of responsibility within companies".

New technologies go hand in hand with youth

"We need young people because new technologies are coming on strong. And these new technologies go hand in hand with youth". This was the opinion of Francisco Safont, director general manager of Banco de Vasconia. In his opinion, "university students leave with a great technical training and, after graduating, they need the complement of the university of life, which is the 'running-in' time they are given in companies. And a young university student with a desire to work has the opportunity to climb the career ladder with ease".

Regarding the organization of these Weeks of employment, José Javier Gironés, Iberdrola's provincial delegate in Navarra, said: "When it first appeared in 1992, Economics was not doing well in Spain, so there was a certain amount of disenchantment in the university world. Now we have more companies every year and we hope that this will continue to progress. We are in an optimistic moment that has increased the university students' enthusiasm".