By Carme Escorcia, Head of Communication
Our future talent needs to be spearheaded from a very young age. Our challenge, as an international and innovative school, is to prepare students for a changing and uncertain reality. Sometimes this means our teachers will need to lead and guide students’ learning without being experts in the latest innovations. In this scenario, It is fundamental to coordinate our efforts, plan accordingly and build bridges with the world of business and science outside the classroom.
Last week, we held the event “Barcelona, a talent hub. The most in-demand skills for the future workforce”. Organized by St. Peter’s School and the British Chamber of Commerce, it was an inspiring conference that offered the opportunity to discuss challenges that we face in order to continue attracting international talent to Barcelona. Our panel comprised experts from Sage, Wallbox, Hêdron HR and the City Council.
Sage and Wallbox are two international companies located in Barcelona, which are continuously attracting international talent. When asked about the most in demand skills for the current workforce, Lorena Diaz, Global Technology lead in Sage, highlighted the importance of building a welcoming community that helps their international workers settle in Barcelona.
All of them agreed on the need for connection, diversity, and a sense of belonging. The most sought after skills are not only technological but also social and emotional. The ability to emphasize, and leave the door open to different cultural perspectives is also highly demanded. Creativity cannot be fostered within a rigid environment.
All the participants agree with the fact that young talent will no longer be satisfied with a long term and stable position throughout their work life. According to Salvador Tudela, one of the founding partners of Hêdron HR, new generations hold a very short-term vision, and it’s difficult to engage them. It is fundamental to connect with them from the very beginning and search for tools that keep them motivated.
On one hand, our workforce is searching for inspiring projects that are aligned with their values, passions and expectations. On the other hand, these projects should always be an opportunity to learn. Linked to this idea, the Head of Talent Acquisition at Wallbox, Victoria Marí, reminded us how important it is to offer flexibility to our international community, referring both to working hours and diversity among their workers.
To close the discussion, our head of education, Lourdes Barceló, invited the members of the panel to connect and build bridges between our school and their businesses. She mentioned our placement programme as an opportunity to give our students a real experience of the world of work before going to university. Learning beyond the classroom should be a must for all schools and universities in order to help students connect their learning with real life.
