Mobile World Capital Barcelona, Creu Roja and Nuwe connect digital talent in vulnerable situations with tech companies

• A hackathon has given 30 people in vulnerable situations the opportunity to pitch to companies looking for junior Backend and Frontend profiles.
• The initiative is part of the BCN Inclusive Coding program that aims to train and connect 10,000 digital professionals with the digital industry over the next 10 years.

July 4, 2022

Mobile World Capital Foundation’s Barcelona Digital Talent program, together with Creu Roja Barcelona and Nuwe, held the BCN Inclusive Coding, the first social hackathon. The hybrid format initiative, aimed at people at risk of social exclusion, gathered 30 candidates and 10 mentors. The former were able to pitch their skills to companies such as NTT Data, Babel or CaixaBank, which are in the process of looking for junior Backend and Frontend profiles.

The 30 participants, selected out of more than 140 applicants, are in vulnerable situations and made their way into the digital sector thanks to training programs aimed at groups at risk of social exclusion in organizations such as Factoría F5. Most of them are enrolled in free high quality programming courses, mainly Full Stack development.

During the hackathon, participants were divided into four teams of ten people who worked to solve a social challenge based on five of the Sustainable Development Goals: end poverty, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth and reduction of inequalities. Mentors accompanied and assessed the teams throughout the process. By the end of the day the companies taking part in the event received the curriculums which would take part in their recruitment processes.

The Hackathon BCN Inclusive Coding not only offered participants the opportunity to directly contact recruiting companies, but also to pitch their Hard & Soft Skills results to all of them. Also, the winning team won a ticket to the Mobile World Congress 2023.

BCN Inclusive Coding, pursuing inclusive coding opportunities

The event held at the Creu Roja headquarters in BCN is part of the BCN Inclusive Coding project, a programme to help people in vulnerable situations refocus their professional circumstances and job prospects with training in digital skills which are most in demand with companies. BCN Inclusive Coding aims to train and connect 10,000 people with the digital industry over the next 10 years.

BCN Inclusive Coding was born from the need to connect people in vulnerable situations, 26% of Catalonia’s population, with one of the sectors with the highest demand for skilled talent, so the promoters. According to the figures, demand for digital talent in Catalonia in the last two years has grown by 80% as a result of the digitization of companies. Barcelona, one of the main digital hubs in Europe, is home to hundreds of tech companies and startups in need of talent to boost their digital projects. Granting vulnerable groups access to specialized quality training programs is an opportunity for them and for the companies looking for talent.

Initiatives like this represent a real opportunity to leverage the positive impact of technology leaving no one behind.

ABOUT MOBILE WORLD CAPITAL BARCELONA

Mobile World Capital Barcelona is an initiative driving the digital advancement of society while helping improve people’s lives globally. With the support of the public and private sector, MWCapital focuses on four areas: the  acceleration of innovation through digital entrepreneurship, the transformation of industries  through digital technology, the rise of digital talent among new generations and professionals  and the reflection on the impact of technology in our society. Collectively, our programmes are positively transforming the economy, education and society. MWCapital hosts MWC in Barcelona and founded 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the startup business platform, present at MWC events around the world.

ABOUT BARCELONA DIGITAL TALENT

Barcelona Digital Talent aims to bridge the digital talent gap in order to promote market competitiveness and position Barcelona as an International talent pole. This Mobile World Capital Barcelona ‘s program promotes the reskilling and digital skills training in alliance with Círculo Tecnológico, 22@Network, Tech Barcelona, Fomento del Trabajo Nacional, Barcelona Global, PIMEC, Barcelona City Council and the Generalitat de Catalunya.