Barcelona Activa and Mercabarna have come together again to launch the second edition of the ‘Professional opportunities in municipal markets and local shops’ programme, which aims to boost employment for unemployed young people in municipal markets and local shops, as well as contributing towards generational renewal. The initiative is taking place thanks to the collaboration of the Barcelona Municipal Market Institute.

Through this project, 45 young people between the ages of 18 and 29, most of whom have no specific vocational training, will be trained and will get to improve their employability. First, they undergo training for eleven months, during which they gain all the knowledge and experience they need to join the labour market. The programme covers three professional profiles:

• butcher’s assistant
• charcuterie assistant
• sales assistant selling locally-grown organic products.

In the current context caused by Covid-19, the theory aspect will be taught through the virtual Mercabarna campus, while practical skills will be honed in Mercabarna’s workshop classrooms, always in small groups. Furthermore, the participants will acquire technological skills, so that they can support market traders with their IT management, which contributes towards the fulfilling the actions set out in the Municipal Markets Digital Transformation Plan 2020.

Following the training, food businesses in the city will be approached so that job vacancies can be identified. The participants will then apply for these jobs. What’s more, the programme offers businesses subsidies of 5,000 euros for the first 6 months of employment.