UniversidaddeCádiz

The University of Cádiz (UCA) and the Andalusian Women’s Institute (Instituto Andaluz de la Mujer) have launched the fifth edition of the UNIVERGEM programme, an initiative designed to promote gender equality in the labour market and enhance female employability and entrepreneurial opportunities for university students and graduates.

The launch event, held in Cádiz, was chaired by Carmen Camelo (Vice-Rector for Entrepreneurship and Employability at UCA), Carmen Ferradans (UCA’s Director General of Employment), and Blanca Merino (Provincial Coordinator of the Andalusian Women’s Institute in Cádiz), who highlighted the programme’s consolidation and its positive impact on participants’ professional integration.

UNIVERGEM seeks to address both horizontal gender gaps (where women are concentrated in certain sectors and roles) and vertical gaps (barriers to career advancement and leadership positions) in the labour market. In this call, 51 applications were received and 20 participants were ultimately selected and organised into two educational pathways.

The programme offers a comprehensive and transversal training curriculum covering topics such as gender equality, employment strategies, entrepreneurship, personal branding, and social skills, using a dynamic methodology focused on developing communication and relational competencies.

Participants in Itinerary A will combine this training with a three-month placement in public or private organisations, while Itinerary B centres on specialised training tailored for female students and graduates of UCA’s official degree programmes.

At the presentation, Carmen Camelo emphasised that the programme acts “at the critical stage between university and the professional environment,” noting that employability depends not only on academic qualifications but also on access to information, professional networks, and practical experience. Ferradans underlined that the continuity of the programme reflects its tangible, proven results.

Blanca Merino highlighted that the programme is fully funded by the Andalusian Women’s Institute, with the primary aim of bringing a gender perspective into the workplace, and noted the high employability rates achieved among participants in Cádiz. The institutional representatives encouraged participants to engage fully in the experience, build confidence, and take advantage of the practical learning opportunities that UNIVERGEM offers as a tool for expanding their professional prospects and accessing diverse career pathways.