Ubuntu Canarias takes part in an employment and entrepreneurship workshop organised by Fundación ECCA Social
Published: 14 October 2026
Three professional women shared their experiences and offered tools to improve employability, support female talent and face the challenges of the job market.
The management team of Ubuntu Canarias and the coordinator of its Employment area, Soraya Mohamedi, took part in a workshop organised by Fundación ECCA Social. The meeting brought together three professional women from different fields to share their experiences, career paths and advice on getting into work, entrepreneurship and professional development.
During a three-hour morning session, participants heard first-hand from Nora Blanco, Paula Jiménez and Silvia Navarro, three professionals who, each from her own sector, highlighted the importance of ongoing training, attitude, innovation and confidence in one’s own abilities.
The workshop also opened a conversation about women’s presence in traditionally male-dominated sectors, balancing work and family life, and the barriers to employment faced by people over 45.
Nora Blanco: training, attitude and job opportunities
Nora Blanco, Head of Human Resources and Head of Recruitment at Grupo SPAR Gran Canaria, spoke about her experience in a large organisation and explained some of the things that are taken into account in recruitment processes.
She explained that the group brings together several companies that work jointly and has 203 shops, a presence in 21 municipalities and a workforce of around 3,600 people. According to the figures shared at the workshop, 61% of the workforce are women and 31.9% are men, although the gender balance changes in certain areas such as logistics, where men are still the majority.
This figure led to a particularly interesting question: what can we do to encourage more women to train for and access jobs in traditionally male-dominated sectors?
Nora pointed out that there are many job opportunities for women and stressed the importance of continuing to train, keeping knowledge up to date and staying active, both while looking for work and once in a job.
Among the qualities companies value, she mentioned commitment, teamwork, professionalism, energy, a service mindset, effort, initiative, innovation and a good team spirit.
She also explained that recruitment processes may combine knowledge tests, computer skills tests and professional competency tests, as well as individual interviews.
As key ideas, she highlighted visibility, perseverance, professionalism and passion for the job. She also reminded everyone that people interested in working at SPAR must use the application channels set up by the company, as CVs are not collected in person at the shops for data protection reasons.
Her talk was especially valuable because of her background and training in job guidance and human resources, which allowed her to offer a practical view on how to approach a job search and prepare for recruitment processes.
Nora also shared some recommendations for Ubuntu Canarias participants interested in applying for future SPAR vacancies. While she noted that proper guidance requires knowing each person’s profile first, she stressed the importance of being natural, facing interviews calmly and knowing how to show the value of one’s own skills.
Preparing for the interview, getting to know the company, identifying one’s strengths, showing motivation and conveying a positive attitude can all help people face these processes with more confidence.
Paula Jiménez: starting a business, innovating and losing the fear of making mistakes
The second talk was given by Paula Jiménez, CEO of Autoescuelas La Paterna.
A law graduate, Paula began her career in the family business founded by her father. She later decided to explore other professional paths and worked as a lawyer before taking over the management of the driving schools.
Her story highlighted the importance of daring to try new things, stepping out of one’s comfort zone and not being afraid of making mistakes.
As head of a company with 25 employees, she also shared her views on team management, innovation and the development of new projects, including some related to sustainability.
Her talk covered several training opportunities linked to the transport sector, such as obtaining professional driving licences and forklift training.
These options sparked particular interest because they could help improve job prospects for the people taking part in Ubuntu Canarias programmes.
There was also a reflection on the value of older people’s experience and skills, and on the need to recognise their professional potential and support their active participation in the labour market.
Paula’s experience showed how a career can change over time, and how initiative, adaptability and a willingness to learn can open new opportunities both for job seekers and for those who decide to start their own business.
Silvia Navarro: entrepreneurship, digital skills and work-life balance
The third talk was given by Silvia Navarro, representing Naisa Marketing Digital, who came with her sister Lara Navarro, also part of the company.
Silvia talked about her professional experience in Italy, where she worked for Dior and struggled to balance work and family life.
That experience led her to consider other professional options and, in the end, to return to the islands and set up her own company.
Today, through Naisa Marketing Digital, she works with small businesses and local companies in the Canary Islands, offering tailored digital marketing services.
She explained how important it is to get to know each client well before designing a strategy. To do so, they carry out audits and develop what they call a 360 strategy, adapted to each business’s goals and audience.
Her story invited reflection on entrepreneurship as a way to develop one’s own skills, create opportunities and find arrangements that make it easier to balance family and work.
Although self-employment can bring more flexibility, Silvia also pointed out that starting a business requires a significant investment of time and dedication.
Her experience showed the importance of building skills, adapting to change and finding professional solutions that fit the needs of each project.
Ageism and the importance of keeping doors open
One of the topics that drew the most participation was ageism and the difficulties some people face in finding work after the age of 45.
Several participants shared their experiences and spoke about the frustration of running into age-related barriers while looking for a job.
In response, the three speakers agreed on the importance of moving forward, continuing to train, identifying one’s own skills and not letting prejudice affect self-esteem or the chances of professional growth.
The shared conclusion was clear: when one door closes, it is important to look for new opportunities, recognise your own worth and stay active in the face of changes in the job market.
Without ignoring the real difficulties that may exist, the workshop encouraged participants to focus on each person’s abilities, experience and room to grow.
Age should not be an obstacle to continuing to learn, reinventing oneself professionally or discovering new callings. Ongoing training and recognition of the skills gained throughout life can be key to opening new career paths.
New opportunities for collaboration for Ubuntu Canarias
The workshop also helped identify possible ways of collaborating with the speakers.
In a conversation with Paula Jiménez, CEO of Autoescuelas La Paterna, the idea of an interview was raised to look in more depth at the grants and support available for obtaining truck driving licences, as well as forklift training options.
This line of work could be of interest to Ubuntu Canarias participants, as it would provide information on training pathways linked to sectors with job opportunities.
The interview is still to be arranged and will allow us to learn more about the requirements, access options and resources available.
Contact with the speakers also opens the door to exploring further opportunities for collaboration, guidance and training that help improve the employability of the people connected to the association.
A day to learn, share and create opportunities
Taking part in this workshop organised by Fundación ECCA Social was a chance to learn about different professional experiences, share concerns and gather useful ideas for Ubuntu Canarias’s work in the field of employment.
The talks by Nora Blanco, Paula Jiménez and Silvia Navarro showed three different career paths with several things in common: the importance of training, adaptability, initiative, confidence in one’s own skills and the will to keep growing professionally.
For the management team of Ubuntu Canarias and the coordinator of the Employment area, Soraya Mohamedi, the meeting was also an opportunity to make contacts, discuss future collaborations and learn about training resources that could benefit people looking to improve their employment situation.
At Ubuntu Canarias, we thank Fundación ECCA Social for organising this meeting space, and the speakers for generously sharing their knowledge and experience.
We keep working to improve employability, bring new training opportunities closer and support people as they build their professional future, promoting a more inclusive, diverse and accessible job market for everyone.
