With advice, training, application preparation, and opportunities
More than 160 activities at the Saló de l’Ocupació to find a job or advance professionally
The Saló de l’Ocupació returns on October 15 and 16 to the Montjuïc venue, offering more than 160 activities designed to boost professional careers, facilitate career changes, and promote employment across all age groups. The program will focus on the rise of artificial intelligence, reskilling and upskilling, opportunities in high-demand sectors, inclusion and diversity, and workplace well-being. This year, particular emphasis will be placed on enabling direct contact between visitors and companies seeking to recruit talent in the short term.
Organized by Fira de Barcelona and promoted by the Barcelona City Council through Barcelona Activa, the 2025 Saló de l’Ocupació counts on the collaboration of nearly a hundred organizations to present available resources aimed at improving employability for everyone. This year’s activities and spaces include personalized advice, training options to update or acquire new skills, practical guidance for preparing applications, and access to professional opportunities. Overall, the goal of the fair is for visitors to leave with a clear action plan to achieve their career objectives.
Key topics in 2025
In this edition, artificial intelligence is established as a transversal theme across many initiatives, with conferences and interactive workshops demonstrating how this technology is transforming job searching, application preparation, and the demand for profiles and skills in the labor market. Creating resumes and cover letters with AI, practicing with this technology to succeed in job interviews, or applying prompt engineering will be among the practical experiences available at the Montjuïc venue.
Continuous learning and skills updating will also play a central role, with activities designed to promote reskilling and professional growth. From developing transversal skills and key competencies to acquiring digital skills and university micro-credentials, the Saló de l’Ocupació will focus on tools that improve employability and adapt to the new demands of growing sectors such as technology and digital, agri-food, the blue economy, or logistics, all prominently featured in the fair’s training areas.
The fair will also dedicate a space with conferences and round tables to emerging sectors with strong future growth potential. In addition to those already mentioned, topics will include the social economy, care services, sustainable construction, the tourism industry, transport, security and emergency services, leisure education, digital manufacturing, and creative and entertainment industries (music and content production).
All of this creates a showcase of professions gaining importance in the city’s and country’s economic transformation. At the same time, there will be demonstrations of trades such as floristry, forestry, or carpentry, among others, which can offer valuable employment alternatives, especially for young people.
Towards a more inclusive labor market
Diversity and inclusion will be another guiding thread of the fair’s program. From integrating women into male-dominated sectors to highlighting the care economy, defending the labor rights of migrants and young people, and addressing gender-based risk prevention. It is worth noting that the fair also includes the “Sí, i millor” event, organized by the Federation of Special Employment Centers of Catalonia, focused on labor inclusion for people with disabilities.
Finally, workplace well-being and comprehensive guidance complete the program, with activities supporting individuals at different stages of their professional journey. Sessions on motivation, resilience, managing frustration, and finding purpose through Ikigai will coexist with networking spaces and personalized advice, offering tailored resources and guidance for navigating career transitions—especially for people over 45—professional growth, or helping young people take their first steps in the labor market.
Connecting with companies and exploring opportunities
This year, the Saló de l’Ocupació will strengthen spaces connecting job seekers with employment opportunities. The event will debut a stand area with around twenty companies looking to recruit talent, showcasing specific job openings and the profiles they need. In addition, Barcelona Activa will organize several sectoral marketplaces, recruitment spaces where companies with open selection processes and candidates can hold short interviews.
The Saló de l’Ocupació, which will be held in Hall 8 at the Montjuïc venue, will offer free entry with prior registration on the website through timed slots due to capacity limits. It will coincide with Bizbarcelona, the fair dedicated to SMEs, small businesses, and self-employed professionals seeking to update their businesses, share experiences, and drive business innovation.
Barcelona, September 22th, 2025
Maria Dolors Herranz / Josep Lluís Mérida
Tel. 93 233 25 41 – 2114
mdherranz@firabarcelona.com
jmerida@firabarcelona.com