TalentLab closes its fifth edition opening more than twenty new professional lives

Almost simultaneously with the announcement "Habemus Papam" from the Vatican on a new historic global day, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Malaga City Hall, voices and echoes were also heard, marking what will be remembered as an epic day. In this case, it wasn't for millions of people like at the event in St. Peter's Square, but for a group of young people from Malaga who were starting their careers. They did this with the closing of the fifth edition of TalentLab, a training project by SUR in collaboration with Betancourt, which connects students with some of the most powerful companies in the province. As Antonio González, the general director of Prensa Malagueña, highlighted, "the talent of Malaga stays in Malaga."

In this edition, 42 students were able to learn and develop their skills alongside the leaders of the participating companies: EY GDS Spain, Ikea, EMT, Sinerba, Leroy Merlin, Montosa, and Saber Tech. Educational centers such as the European University, ESIC-EIG, Esesa, and WindUp worked closely with the youth. Collaborating institutions like the City Council and the Provincial Council of Malaga supported this project.

After intense days of training with TalentLab and the companies, followed by a series of interviews and selections, May 8, 2025, has been etched in the personal and professional memories of all participants with the diploma ceremony in the Hall of Mirrors. "You have passed the training and learning stage, and now it's about lending your hand and continuing to learn with the momentum of these companies," encouraged the mayor, Francisco de la Torre, to the young attendees at the event.

What happens in TalentLab is equivalent to the saying 'you reap what you sow'. As Mara de Montserrat, partner-director of Betancourt, reflected: "When value is given to us, we return value. Here, care and enthusiasm are invested, and the youth stake their claims and return value. Everything feeds and contributes to growth," she pointed out. From the Provincial Council of Malaga, the deputy of Employment and Training, Carmen Márquez, also encouraged the youth to continue their learning in the professional world. "This means that there are opportunities, training, preparation, and exchanges of ideas from which we all benefit," she motivated the attendees.

The event, hosted by José Manuel Troyano from Betancourt, was filled with applause and joyful expressions. Following the words of support from the SUR organization and collaborating companies, the moment for the diploma presentation arrived. And then the announcement of the students selected to begin their professional journey with the collaborating companies, who highlighted the great learning capacity of the participants and regretted not being able to select everyone.

More than twenty young people were mentioned. Joining EY GDS Spain are Carlos Pérez Ballesteros, Iván Manuel Gambero Gálvez, Celia Sánchez Gómez, Isabel Rodríguez Solís, and Carmen Rivera Pérez; from Leroy Merlin, Michelle Denisse Sarango Guarderas, Jimena Manzano Benito, Andrea Solís Díaz, and Fleming Iburg Andersen Torres were selected; joining EMT are Alejandro Gómez del Río, Carmen María Romero Orellana, Ana Carreño Bolla, Carmen de Marcos Morilla, Raúl Fernández Escaño, and Sofía del Carmen Luque Ortega; joining the Ikea team are Elena Rico Galán and Marta Cuesta Gómez; joining Montosa are Olga María Rodríguez Escobar, Samuel Alba Matas, and Gonzalo Marfil del Puerto; and working at Saber Tech will be Ana María Haralambie and Julia Pérez Barreales.

In this way, TalentLab once again marked the beginning of the working life for the people of Malaga with the support of provincial companies and, above all, with the eagerness to learn from the youth.