Working in the business environment of Telefónica Innovación Digital teaches that young talents can build their career without waiting to graduate.
Training programmes, such as Speed Talent are proof of this, demonstrating that real learning happens when theory and practice meet.
An early connection to the reality of work
Speed Talent is not just another internship programme. It is a meeting point between university and business, a way to experience how innovation works from the inside.
By participating, students not only apply what they learn in class, but also understand how projects are managed, how decisions are made and how each idea can be transformed into a real solution.
When a student faces a real challenge in an environment such as Telefónica Innovación Digital, they gain perspective on what it means to work in a team, communicate results and adapt to the dynamics of a large organisation. And that, beyond technical knowledge, is what really prepares you for your professional future.
The value of experimenting from the “inside”
Participating in Speed Talent means learning by doing, but also learning by sharing. Each project is different: some focus on inclusive design, others on artificial intelligence or digital accessibility. What is common to all is the space to put forward ideas, experiment and make mistakes.
They are innovative projects, with an applied vision, which can have a real impact on the future. Many of them address current industry challenges, exploring how technology can improve people’s lives.
Last Friday, 21 October, the UAM’s Speed Talent programme came to an end at Telefónica. For three months, three teams from the Master’s programme in Language and Artificial Intelligence (LeIA), developed their projects together with our Experience Design Lab team.
Over several weeks, they researched, designed and built proposals focused on creating more inclusive technology, such as the:
- Sign language translation with Artificial Intelligence.
- Transcription for an easier and more accessible language for all.
- Augmentative and alternative communication for people with ALS or Parkinson’s.
I was present the day the programme started and to see how they have evolved has been impressive. Through their research, they have been able to draw out starting points that can be used to further improve accessibility levels.
Programmes like this create a genuine connection between education and industry. It is not a matter of replicating what is already being done, but of allowing young talent to contribute new perspectives, solutions and ways of thinking that can become the basis for future projects.
Why programmes like this matter
In a context where companies are looking for people with the ability to adapt and think critically, initiatives such as Speed Talent are a tool for training the new generation of digital professionals.
Because innovation starts not with an idea, but with the opportunity to put it into practice. And Speed Talent is just that: an opportunity to start doing it from day one.
