The Mahou San Miguel Foundation and the Martínez Abolafio Foundation renew their commitment to young talent and job placement on the island with the start of a new edition of We Create Opportunities in Hospitality and Tourism, their flagship training program in the sector.
In an event held at the Zonzamas Integrated Vocational Training Center in Arrecife, where the training is provided, the 21 new students of the first cycle of Hospitality and Tourism Opportunities Creation's Restaurant Services were welcomed. The project, "created to boost the careers of young people with a vocation for the sector by facilitating their access to employment in the restaurant industry," was presented to them.
Isaac Molina Franco, director of CIFP Zonzamas, highlighted during the event the importance of continuing to promote quality vocational training: "With this event, we renew our commitment to quality and specialized vocational training, with the welcome and presentation to the students of this program."
"A project that is consolidated in this third edition, and that offers students a plus in their training, personalized accompaniment and follow-up, and opportunities in their careers as highly qualified professionals in the sector"
According to Turespaña data, the Canary Islands is the autonomous community where the number of affiliates in the tourism subsector has increased the most in September, with a 2.6% rise compared to the same month last year.In this regard, the **hospitality sector** is part of that boost to **employability**, with an increase of 25,977 affiliates in the archipelago. As for **unemployment** in Lanzarote, data from the Lanzarote Data Center with data from the Ministry of Labor indicate a decrease compared to September 2024 of 8.4%, making it the island where unemployment has fallen the most in the last monthIn this context, the Martínez Abolafio Foundation has underscored its "commitment to education as a driver of development in the sector".Katy Martínez Mpanga, president of the Foundation, stated: "From the Martínez Abolafio Foundation, we continue to promote training as a driver of development, celebrating the third edition of the project.""We believe that these types of initiatives are key to offering young people new learning and growth opportunities, thus contributing to the future of the sector and our community," he added
Virginia Luca de Tena, director of the Mahou San Miguel Foundation, agrees with this, stating: "We firmly believe in the power of alliances as a driver of change."
"When different entities come together with a common purpose, a support network is generated that is capable of opening new opportunities. And, in this case, at the center of that effort are young people, whom we want to accompany closely on their path, offering them the tools, guidance, and confidence necessary for them to discover their potential and build their own future."Currently, *We Create Opportunities in Hospitality and Tourism* is taught in 13 educational centers in **10 Spanish provinces** in addition to Lanzarote: A Coruña (Santiago de Compostela), Barcelona, Vizcaya (Bilbao), Burgos, Madrid, Málaga, Granada, Toledo, Guadalajara, and Valencia.
Given that the program combines theoretical instruction in the classroom with practical experiences in companies, students acquire a "comprehensive understanding of the sector and it gives them the motivation and confidence needed to pursue their professional and personal goals," state the sponsors.
This educational approach not only improves students' employability but also ensures that training is aligned with the real demands of the labor market. As a result, in its eleven years of existence, nearly 3,200 students have completed their training through this program, which boasts a 92% employment rate.
