Tenerife to Host Fifth Annual Ponos Fest to Tackle Youth Unemployment
The Tenerife Island Council will host the fifth annual "Ponos Fest" on April 28 at the University of La Laguna to connect young job seekers with employers through innovative networking and professional development resources.
Tackling youth unemployment in the Canary Islands remains a top priority, with the Tenerife Island Council set to host the fifth annual "Ponos Fest" on April 28. The event will take place at the University of La Laguna’s Faculty of Fine Arts, serving as a vital bridge for young people struggling to move from education into the professional world.
Designed for those aged 16 to 34, the event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It moves away from traditional job fair formats by featuring a "reverse roundtable," where attendees get to ask the questions, putting them directly in touch with employers from sectors like health, education, communication, retail, and food production.
A key new feature for 2026 is the "Ponos Job Mailbox." Using a QR code system, participants can digitize their professional profiles and categorize them by interest. This ensures that the connection between young talent and companies continues long after the event ends. The day will also include expert talks from psychologist Pascual Benet and executive Fernando Rojas-Flores, focusing on career development and adaptability.
Ponos Fest is the flagship of the broader "Ponos Project," a strategy run by the Island Council’s Youth and Training department in partnership with the University of La Laguna. Since starting in 2021, the program has supported over 8,000 young people and managed more than 1,000 paid training scholarships, supported by a network of over 1,100 businesses.
The project reaches across the island, with active programs in municipalities including Santa Cruz, La Laguna, Candelaria, Santa Úrsula, Arona, Guía de Isora, and Los Realejos. It also prioritizes mental health, offering free support through the Canary Association of Psychology to help candidates build resilience. Those interested in attending can register via the official Ponos website, which offers resources ranging from general job-seeking advice to specialized training in entrepreneurship and the arts.