In Spain, more than one in four people aged 15-24 are unemployed. In 2023, 29% of young people were unemployed, compared to 53% in 2014.1 Despite these significant improvements, youth unemployment in Spain remains above both the EU-27 and OECD averages. In addition to low labour market participation, young people in employment face challenges related to the poor quality of their jobs (e.g. temporary contracts, high incidence of part-time and low-paid jobs).
To enhance labour market outcomes of youth, it is important to improve their digital skills, including their knowledges of AI. Similar to most OECD countries, in Spain, labour shortages are more than twice as high in ICT jobs compared to the average job in the country (OECD, 2024 forthcoming, OECD Twin Transition Tracker), indicating that people with digital skills have concrete employment prospects. Additionally, with studies such as the OECD paper "Artificial intelligence and the changing demand for skills in the labour market" showing how generative AI will transform the labour market, it becomes imperative for young people to learn about AI, and more specifically about generative AI and how to use it productively and responsibly both as professionals and as citizens.
To address the risk of vulnerable youth being excluded from the AI revolution, two Spanish foundations (Somos F5 and Nous Cims) set up the AI Challenge. This pilot programme empowers youth from all over Spain (Madrid, Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, Aragon, Galicia & the Basque Country) by teaching them to apply generative AI tools to their work across different fields (e.g. hospitality, care) with the help of mentors from the tech sector.
Fundación Somos F5 is a network of inclusive digital schools in Spain, with eight schools located across the country and five partner NGOs in Spain working together to bring cutting-edge tech training to vulnerable individuals looking for a job opportunity in the tech sector. Over the past six years, the foundation has reached more than 9 000 beneficiaries and provided training for over 1 500 of them. Beneficiaries are vulnerable individuals of all ages and backgrounds who seek a transition to the tech sector through the foundation’s Digital Vocation Programme and Bootcamp Training Programmes. The programmes provide high-quality, tuition-free education in programming, AI, Cybersecurity, Cloud, DevOps and immersive technologies.
Fundació Nous Cims is a leading foundation in professional orientation, well-being and international cooperation. Its Zing Programme provides guidance and scholarships to vulnerable students across Spain to help them achieve their academic and professional goals after having experienced school dropout in the past.
