Local Update

I popped into the Marbella Exhibition Centre to visit Marbella’s first Exhibition for professionals of the hotel, restaurant and catering industry and I was certainly glad I did.

Let me start with the reason for being there: to explore Hosteltech, put together by some of Marbella’s most renowned companies, such as Import Montes and Eladio fruiters, both very successful but also very local family businesses. Together with professionals from all sectors there was a strong emphasis on technology and the latest technological solutions in terms of optimising work in the hotel and restaurant sectors.

This was truly a very successful first event with food and drink being offered everywhere and exhibitors already booked for next year’s second edition.

Before I went up to Hosteltech though I was introduced by the team of the Foreigner’s Department, (also located at the Exhibition Centre and always ready to welcome us to their space by the way), to Olena Sampara of the Association Maydan Málaga.  This group of Ukrainian residents came together back in 2014 and offers informative support and provides humanitarian aid.

Olena was also my guest on Marbella Now #MN341 and explains how she views this ongoing but escalating situation, what actions are being taken and how we can help.

To coordinate efforts the Marbella City Council has set up an informative centre for the Ukrainian citizens in the Civic Centre of Las Albarizas, to channel solidarity and facilitate procedures for the resident community and those people who are arriving as a consequence of the Russian invasion. If you’d like to donate funds, food, clothes, medication, supplies, transport or your time please contact Maydan to coordinate.

Back to the Exhibition Centre for a less tragic but also consequential event: the fourth edition of the Marbella Job Fair. Marbella’s mayor Ángeles Muñoz announced that there would be 4,000 positions on offer: 2,200 from companies and 1,800 for the Spanish Army and that “it is the most important event of its kind in the country in terms of number of attendees.”

The fair had 135 stands from companies and institutions from the food, hospitality, technology, commercial, real estate, services and construction sectors and the councillor Cristóbal Garre highlighted their plans to assist the unemployed people of the municipality, “whom we understand that we have to support from our institution to improve their employability through initiatives like this one.”

The Marbella City Council is making an investment of over €5 million, as I understand it, with the objective being to facilitate the selection of personnel and preferably job placement for those registered in the municipality. There will also be an exclusive training space offering the tools to improve employability and digital skills, with topics such as preparing a CV, facing a job interview or developing a personal brand.

Well that’s it for this week’s ‘local news update’, please do also follow Marbella Now for more and remember, the Foreigner’s Department is available for anything you may need with a capable and welcoming team.

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