Students undertaking occupational training courses at Mercabarna’s Training Area aspire to learn a trade that will help them find a job. This goal was achieved by 27% of the students in 2010, i.e., more than one in every four who enrolled. As Training Area manager Maite Palat pointed out, “This is a really heartening figure, particularly if you consider how hard it is to get into the job market today.”
The courses that proved the most successful in landing a job were those in the fish sector, where 40% of graduates found work, and the meat sector (29%). They were followed by the courses on working as a warehouse operator (25%), in the flower sector (21%) and in food safety and hygiene (18%).
Ms Palat pointed out that the courses are “creating a supply of people trained to work in the food area which matches the employee profile Mercabarna businesses need”. The number of market operators taking on end-of-course work experience students is growing each year, and 12 businesses chose to do so in 2010. Many of the firms went on to offer the students paid positions.