Going further with Extremadura stakeholders

In this second meeting, Mr Javier De Francisco Morcillo, Secretary General for Science, Technology and Innovation, opened the session by thanking the participants for their involvement in the TALENT4S3 project and underlined the importance of continuous feedback on the project's progress.

Lucila Castro, Project Manager, gave a summary of the study visit to Extremadura, highlighting the good practices presented, which are some of the most effective initiatives and strategies to retain talent.

The Extremadura TechTalent platform, the Extremadura in the World initiative, the Pre-Incubator Training Programme or the Iberian Energy Storage Research Centre were highlighted as some of the tools to attract and retain highly qualified talent in Extremadura, with the potential to be transferred to other regions.

In addition, the actors participating in the virtual meeting had the opportunity to take a closer look at some of the good practices from the second Study Visit celebrated in Maribor (Slovenia), such as a Training Programme for Entrepreneurs and the Labour Market Platform that could be adapted to the region.

They also addressed the challenges identified by the Working Group on Talent and Scientific Excellence set up under RIS3, such as integrating skilled workers into companies and the need to improve funding for PhDs and managers, integrating business-driven education to integrate specialised knowledge in young students and thus reduce the gap between vocational training and labour market needs in the region.

The meeting was productive, allowing members to showcase their work, share best practice and set clear objectives for the next project phase.