Historically, universities have been considered as centers for the transmission and preservation of knowledge. Initially, academic nuclei emerged as very restricted areas, focused on their own activity and that could afford to turn their backs on the demands of society and business.
Today, that paradigm has shifted dramatically. Universities have evolved from being mere transmitters of knowledge and skills, to becoming bridges that connect companies with their future employees; in some cases, it works directly as a “partner” provider of R+D+i and talent.
With the need to link university and business, students and job opportunities, the Hackathon 2022 initiative emerged from the hand of Next Job and Youz Talent. On this occasion, and together with the strategic participation of CIS University, the students were able to get in touch with large firms such as Airbus, EY, HAVI, Siemens, Logista, Merkle, Naturgy, X-Elio y Prime Student.
What is a Hackathon? Its curious name refers to the union of the term “Hack”, (“achievement” or “unlock a problem” in English), with the resistance race known as “Marathon”. That is to say, it is a sequence of tests carried out simultaneously by different groups, which seeks, through teamwork, to respond to a challenge or real case of a company. As in any race or test, as the different teams solve their challenges, they will obtain different scores.
Among the various prizes and advantages of our Hackathon are:
- 1,500 euros in prizes for the best ranked teams.
- The opportunity to meet leading companies in different sectors.
- Access to the VIP area of the Next Job Employability Fair where students can network and meet with the main companies in the country.
- Strengthen your CV with an experience highly valued by companies in the sector.
In addition to all this, the team tests and company presentations will mean for many of the students a much closer contact with the labor and corporate world. A unique opportunity to test your knowledge, work as a team and develop communication skills, all of which are “soft skills” that are highly demanded by the competitive business environment.
Or put another way, in the words of co-organizer Magda to her attentive audience:
“Guys, welcome to Hackathon 2022. Welcome to the real world.”
Many thanks to all the organizers, collaborating companies and participants for making this event a real success!
