The Estepona City Council launches a new edition of the Professional Experiences for Employment Program (EPES) of the Junta de Andalucía.

It aims to improve the employability of job seekers belonging to groups with disabilities, at risk of social exclusion or ethnic minorities, offering them professional internships in companies located in the city and its surroundings.

The Estepona City Council informs that the municipal delegation of Social Services, Elderly and Social Integration has launched a new edition of the Professional Experiences Program for Employment, EPES. Funded by the Andalusian Employment Service (SAE) of the Ministry of Employment, Enterprise and Self-Employment of the Andalusian Government, and managed by the City of Estepona, aims to improve the employability of job seekers belonging to groups of disability, risk of social exclusion or ethnic minorities, offering them the realization of professional practices in companies located in the area of Estepona and its surroundings.

As explained by the Deputy Mayor of the Sociocultural Area, Paula Herrera, the program participants must be registered as unemployed in the Andalusian Employment Service (SAE) in administrative situation of high, and meet the following requirements: having opened a Personalized Itinerary of Insertion under the Andalusia Orienta program with an antiquity of at least one month in the registration of the bag of applicant practices of the Telematic Guidance Service (STO), and have received at least two hours of individual attention. In addition, they must belong to one of the following groups: people with disabilities, ethnic minorities or people at risk of social exclusion.

The Estepona City Council has been granted a subsidy for the realization of 80 non-working practices, being the duration of the program of 24 months, until December 2025. The internships will last 3 months, distributed in 4 days a week, at a rate of 5 hours a day, for a total of 20 hours a week.

These internships are financially subsidized with an amount equivalent to 80% of the IPREM of 2023 and have a reinforcement plan in the job search through individualized tutoring or group workshops.

The participants will be covered with a civil liability insurance and an accident insurance, by the Estepona City Council, while the internships will be developed in private companies, social economy organizations, non-profit entities or with self-employed professionals, throughout the years 2024 and 2025.

Participants will be able to acquire practice to improve their position in the labor market, assimilate the habits, values and behaviors most demanded and required in a real business context, and increase their employability.

On the other hand, companies will be able to incorporate in internships personnel with learning and adaptation skills, as well as to get to know in the workplace and give the appropriate training to people who may become part of their staff in the future, without any economic cost.

For more information, both interested companies and potential participants can contact the internship manager by telephone or e-mail, by calling the City Council at 952809000 – Ext. 1214 or by e-mail at csantacruz@estepona.es.