Extremadura Tech Talent

By project TALENT4S3

Published on 13 March 2025

Spain

Extremadura

About this good practice

Emigration has meant not only reducing the number of inhabitants in Extremadura, but also losing highly qualified people who, once graduated from the University of Extremadura, have chosen to emigrate in order to find a job according to their profile.
Currently, regional companies demand a greater number of scientific-technological profiles that respond to the need to grow and develop their activity in the region.
The Extremadura Tech Talent Programme seeks to bring closer and make visible to the people from Extremadura who are living and developing professionally abroad, the possibilities that the regional innovation ecosystem can offer them and facilitate their return, as well as to interconnect companies with this supply of talent.
The Programme is based on the development of activities to offer new scientific-technological employment opportunities, as well as contributing to the development of new business models in Extremadura. This activity is carried out through continuous intermediation work between the demands of regional companies' profiles and the search for candidates for these demands. A web platform was created to communicate employment opportunities and to ensure better management of the talent, while generating a community of scientific and technological talent interested in working in the region.

Expert opinion

Rural regions—home to 30.6 % of the EU population—are losing skilled young people at alarming rates, fueling labour shortages, shrinking markets, and stalled innovation in SMEs. This “regional brain drain” within national and transnational borders exacerbates demographic imbalances and undermines local competitiveness Extremadura Tech Talent tackles this by using a lightweight (€25 000/year) digital platform to reconnect the regional innovation ecosystem with its diaspora. By matching profiles to demand in real time, it swiftly fills skill gaps and strengthens SME R&I capacity, while building a virtual community that keeps graduates engaged. For policy makers in economic development, innovation, and labour markets, this model demonstrates how targeted digital services can cost-effectively tackle brain drain, support smart specialisation, and nurture skills for industrial transition. Other regions can replicate it by securing stakeholder buy-in (universities, firms, government), integrating the tool within existing employment services, and maintaining up-to-date talent data. Such a practice not only restores demographic balance but also catalyses regional value-chain development, digital connectivity, and sustainable growth.

Luc Schmerber

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

Financed by the General Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation of the Regional Government of Extremadura through the ERDF ROP of Extremadura, the programme has an annual budget of 25.000€.

Evidence of success

The initiative achieved several important results, both tangible and intangible. A total of 115 tech companies participated in the program, with 2,652 candidates, 694 of whom were from outside Extremadura. A total of 367 job offers were made, demonstrating that the initiative successfully connected many professionals with job opportunities in the region, strengthening its innovative ecosystem. All these figures are regularly updated at https://techtalent.oficinaparalainnovacion.es/

Potential for learning or transfer

Regarding the potential for learning or transfer of this Programme to other regions, there are several success factors as well as implementation challenges to have in consideration.
Key factors for success include strong regional support, with a close network of companies and institutions helping to attract and retain talent. The efficient use of digital platforms for job matching allows participants to easily find candidates and connect them with suitable opportunities, regardless of location. Ongoing engagement with the target audience boosts the initiative’s visibility, making it more effective.
Challenges include keeping professionals abroad engaged, ensuring enough job opportunities, and matching returning professionals' skills with regional needs. These challenges are addressed by maintaining strong partnerships and keeping their online presence updated to inform all stakeholders about job openings.