255 students from the three basque universities participate this year in the sixth edition of the Talentia Programme

They are students in the final year of their degree who have the best academic record, in addition to other skills identified by the Colleges

The pioneer Talentia programme of bizkaia:talent will start again this year for the sixth time. This initiative is aimed at guiding university students with the highest potential from the three Basque universities towards adequate job placement and professional development as well as supporting their link with the scientific, technological and business reality of Bizkaia and the Basque Autonomous Community.

This year, a total of 255 students from the three Basque universities will participate in this prestigious programme: 90 from Deusto, 140 from the University of the Basque Country and 25 from Mondragon University.

The success of the programme is guaranteed by the positive view of those who take part in it and by the fact that 86% of the participants in the latest edition of the Talentia programme are working or pursuing further studies only six months after the end of their participation in the programme.

Moreover, 78% of the students who are working are doing so in the Basque Country in jobs related to their studies and rate their job satisfaction level as very high.

The participants in Talentia are students in the final year of their degree who have the best academic record in addition to other skills identified by the appropriate authorities from each participating university.

Furthermore, the requirements to participate include being from Bizkaia or having been registered as a resident in the Territory for at least one year, being under 25 or not having participated in the Talentia Programme before.

The Official Gazette of Bizkaia of 11 February 2015 published the allocation of EUR 150,206 for 16 participants in the Talentia progamme to be trained abroad, in countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Russia, Mexico, France, Denmark and the Czech Republic. This economic fund corresponds to Excellence Grants, a professional development programme awarding grants for Excellence training and supporting internships with stays abroad that the Provincial Council of Bizkaia is awarding to promote excellence amongst university students. The participants in Talentia will be given priority in the allocation.

In December 2014, bizkaia:talent signed eight Talentia collaboration agreements with companies from the creative fashion, audiovisual and product design sectors aimed at supporting the creative sector and the young professionals who have completed the Talentia Programme in their integration into the labour market. This is a way to promote an economy based on knowledge, innovation and creativity since the latter creates new quality employment and has high development potential.

Activities for this year

This year all the participants will have the possibility to attend various training workshops, the novelty this year being Entrepreneurship with MET Community and Internationalization.

There will also be the Professionalism Workshop, as well as Bilbao Metropoli 30, to find out first-hand what being professional really is for the new generations.

The participants in the Talentia Programme will also have the opportunity to exchange information and opinions in person with renowned professionals such as Jose Luis Larrea, Roberto San Salvador, Begoña Marañon, Juan Jose Ibarretxe or Guillermo Dorronsoro. As in previous years they will also visit prestigious organizations in Bizkaia, such as for example: Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM); Biocruces; BTEK, Technology Interpretation Centre; Deloitte; Ede Fundazioa; Euskal Irratia Telebista (EiTB); Euskalduna Jauregia Bilbao; Euskaltel, S.A.; Gaiker – IK4; Guggenheim Bilbao; Idom; Itp, Industria de Turbo Propulsores S.A.; K2K Emocionando (Ner Group); La Alhondiga; Lamiako Eskola; Lancor (Ner Group); Lauaxeta Ikastola; LKS Group; Neiker-Tecnalia; Sarein (Ner Group); Tecnalia Research & Innovation…

Likewise, during the second fortnight in April and May, depending on the availability of each University, sectoral meetings will be held and the students, according to their area of knowledge, will be able to talk and chat with lecturers specialized in their respective areas of knowledge. It is therefore a way to approach the working and professional reality of the sectors from the point of view of renowned lecturers with an extensive career behind them.

Following the warm response last year, a conference under the banner “Stick up for yourself”, will be held in the Dome Room of the Campos Theatre, where David Martinez from Impronta Consulting will talk to the attendants about how to face the active search for employment and will give recommendations on how to attend a job interview, analyzing the necessary attitudes and skills in depth.

Official presentation of the Talentia Program at the University of Basque Country (Sarriko)