Canary Islands Youth Employment Initiative

Overview

The Canary Islands government has officially published a new cooperation agreement aimed at helping young people enter the workforce. The agreement involves:

• The Canary Islands Employment Service
• The Canary Islands University Foundation
• The Canary Islands Employers Confederation

Signed on July 5, 2024, the initiative, called 'Cataliza VII', focuses on offering non-labor internships in companies to recent graduates without professional experience.

The measure seeks to

• improve employment opportunities for youth
• provide practical training through private sector collaborations.

Announcement and Goals

The announcement, published on July 1, 2025, emphasizes:

• transparency
• the government’s commitment to facilitating job access for young residents.

The implementation of such agreements reflects ongoing efforts to:

• combat youth unemployment
• integrate young people into the local economy.

Context

This initiative is particularly relevant in the context of Spain’s broader challenge of high youth unemployment rates, and it signals a proactive stance by regional authorities to create more pathways into the labor market for new graduates.