José | Spain
Starting Over
When José arrived in Barcelona, Spain from Venezuela in December 2023, he brought two degrees—but no job, no safety net, and no clear path forward. Political instability had pushed him to leave behind family, friends, and everything familiar.
He quickly found informal work as a bicycle delivery person for a sushi restaurant in town, but the hours were long, the weather harsh, and the income unpredictable. “You always have the anxiety of knowing how you’re going to manage in the future,” he recalls.
He shared a cramped room in a shared apartment with his partner, and lived day-to-day.
Finding a Way Forward
While scrolling Instagram one day, José saw an ad for Generation Spain’s Customer Excellence in Retail program. With a background in communications, it felt like a way back to his field—and a way into the local job market.
Beyond technical skills, Generation taught him how to adapt to Spain’s cultural norms and language nuances, which made a tremendous positive impact on his ability to communicate confidently. Most of all, he was struck by the encouragement. “The teachers were constantly pushing us forward with support. That ‘you can do it’ really mattered.”
The Future Opens
Before Generation, José had applied to Foot Locker for a retail position and had never heard back. But during the program, he interviewed with Foot Locker (a Generation partner) again—and got the job.
Now based at Foot Locker’s Plaza Catalunya location (the second-highest selling store in Europe), he’s thriving in the basketball section and training to become a team leader.
José also has excellent benefits in this job: paid sick leave, paid vacation, sales bonuses, and overtime. It has made a tremendous difference in his ability to enjoy his new life in Barcelona. He and his girlfriend have moved to their own apartment in central Barcelona. “We can afford things we couldn’t before: a meal out, a date night, planning for the future.”
José now has job security, and a growing sense of stability. “Generation was more than a first step,” he says. “It was a ramp that propelled me forward and opened the door.”
