“Coding should be the new language of the classrooms!”

Luis González Quero is the Director of 42 Málaga. He shares insights on his journey to the helm of our 4th campus in Spain, located in the Spanish Silicon Valley.

What do you like about being Director of 42 Málaga?

It’s a wonderful madness! You learn something new every day. My favourite part is juggling so many roles simultaneously. One day, you’re meeting with the Mayor of Málaga to discuss educational strategies, the next you’re at a conference as a speaker talking about educational innovation, and then you find yourself in the middle of a Piscine exam, shouting for silence at the Pisciners. It’s a delightful chaos that provides continuous learning!

Where were you working before?

I have mostly been in Human Resources, even if earlier I was a waiter and even a bathroom cleaner. In 2016, I joined the Telefónica Group and I had the chance to combine my three passions: people, learning, and technology. I was in the leading areas of Recruitment, Training, and People Analytics.

How would you improve the educational system?

First and foremost, coding should be the new language of the classrooms. It fosters creativity, planning skills, spatial vision, and a great tolerance for frustration! As we do not all have the same learning rhythm, education in its essence should be tailored to individual needs. And finally, entrepreneurial skills are nowadays crucial, whether you want to start your own business or work for a company. Attitude, project ideation, resilience, perseverance, effort, and successfully pushing forward while working with your team — these are all key skills.

How would you describe your management style at 42 Málaga?

Between a command-and-control leadership style and a consensus-based one, there are many levels. The leader will always make the decisions, but the team will function better if that resolution comes from consensus. I cannot have all the answers: I am not a lone hero. Most importantly, diversity and inclusion must be promoted. The work environment should make employees feel safe. In this space, people can share their opinions, seek help, challenge their managers, or make decisions, even if they know they might make a mistake, without feeling punished.