The CEOE Foundation and the Ministry of Defence launch the ‘Es tu Fuerza’ (in English, ‘It’s your Force’) project to ease the entry of Armed Forces personnel into the job market

The CEOE Foundation and the Ministry of Defence have launched the 'Es tu Fuerza' project, a joint initiative to ease the transition of Armed Forces personnel into civilian life by helping them enter the labour market, with a special focus on soldiers, navy personnel and reservists with special availabilities.

The alliance was announced this Thursday by the CEOE President, Antonio Garamendi, the President of the CEOE Foundation, Fátima Báñez, the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, and the Undersecretary of Defence, Amparo Valcarce, at an event held at CEOE’s headquarters.

The CEOE President underlined the importance of an initiative that allows for a space of common ground between companies and society at large and the Armed Forces, the guarantors of the country’s freedom, democracy, and unity. “Society and companies need your hard work, professionalism, sacrifice and values,” he stressed. Especially at a time like the present, with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which he has strongly condemned as President of CEOE and Vice-President of BusinessEurope.
 

Consolidating a permanent partnership

Antonio Garamendi has included the project presented today within the framework of the joint activities that have been carried out in recent years between the CEOE, through its Foundation, and the Armed Forces, with agreements to promote the culture and heritage of the Spanish Army (something that will also be extended to the Navy and the Air Force) and advisory tasks for the creation of the future logistics base in Cordoba.

“With this initiative we are consolidating a permanent bond. Companies need qualified people with values for a modern, digital and sustainable Spain (…), where we must not only talk about skills but also about attitudes, which are indisputable in the case of members of the Armed Forces”, he said.

The president of the CEOE Foundation, Fátima Báñez, emphasised that this alliance, which offers guidance, training and insertion to military personnel who want to join civilian life, will allow companies to benefit from the best professional talent in addition to values such as commitment, teamwork, responsibility, and leadership. “And the best are found in the Armed Forces”, she stressed.
 

Three strategic sectors

As she explained, ‘Es tu Fuerza’ is being launched with a pilot project focusing on three industries, with plans to add more: information and communication technologies (ICT), construction, and transport, which includes not only buses and road transport of goods and passengers, but also driving schools and logistics. A total of 45 professional profiles have been defined and included in the Ministry of Defence’s SAPROMIL platform to facilitate the voluntary incorporation of military personnel into the civilian field. In this way, they will be able to learn about the needs of companies and they will find support in their transition into the labour market and the process of finding new talent.

“We are embarking on a path that is going to be successful. There is strength in unity, Spain’s strength is our military, and we want that strength for our companies so that they can be the best,” Báñez said.

In turn, the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, highlighted the “unbeatable union” that the coming together of companies and the Armed Forces represents: the Spanish businessmen “who have risen to the occasion and have been at the forefront” even in the most complicated times, and without whom a better country cannot be built, and the Armed Forces that represent everything that is best about Spain, such as courage, bravery, commitment, loyalty and efficiency.

“There can be nothing better for a company than to have these men and women in its ranks. With them, you are guaranteed commitment, security, loyalty, efficiency, talent ,and a great deal of humbleness”, she concluded.
 

Strategic objectives

The Undersecretary of Defence, Amparo Valcarce, pointed out that this project is part of the Ministry’s strategic objectives for the transition of military personnel into the labour market and expressed her gratitude for the inter-institutional effort and the great and valuable collaboration of the business community, led by the CEOE Foundation.

She reminded the audience that military personnel are trained and qualified for professional roles not just in the Armed Forces, and that her commitment is to accompany them as they move into the private sector. This will be done in conjunction with CEOE and its Foundation, strengthening their employability in high added-value positions.

Representatives of the participating sectors also addressed the audience, highlighting the potential of this initiative. Thus, the president of the CNC, Pedro Fernández Alén; the general director of AMETIC, Francisco Hortigüela; the president of CONFEBUS, Rafael Barbadillo; the general director of Adigital, César Tello; the general secretary of CNAE, Andoni Martín; the vice-president of ASTIC, Ramón Valdivia; the general director of DigitalES, Víctor Calvo-Sotelo; and the general secretary of CETM, José María Quijano, all took part in the event.