Date of label : 29/10/2024
Summary
The Amarante (PT) Tech Hub is a model for fostering a skilled workforce and a thriving tech sector in a region. The project combines industry-focused training with high-quality-of-life initiatives, attracting businesses and talent. Unlike traditional tech hubs, it prioritises inclusion, ensuring everyone has access to tech education programmes and other opportunities regardless of age or background. This integrative approach creates a dynamic environment where businesses flourish and residents have the skills to succeed in the digital age. The hub bridges the gap between businesses and a qualified workforce, fostering innovation and an attractive work-life balance.
The solutions offered by the Good Practice
The Amarante region had previously found it difficult to attract and retain talent in the tech sector, due to a skills gap and a limited tech ecosystem. The Amarante Tech Hub was established as a comprehensive strategy to address these challenges. It focuses on three key pillars:
- Inclusive training: Accessible training programmes for individuals of all backgrounds and ages, regardless of prior tech experience.
- Industry partnerships: Collaborations with universities, vocational schools, and tech companies to ensure curriculum relevance and industry alignment.
- Quality of life: Creation of an attractive environment for the tech sector to thrive, with a focus on work-life balance.
Key results:
- Reduced skills gap in the local workforce.
- Increased youth employment opportunities in the tech sector.
- Enhanced attractiveness of Amarante for tech businesses and talent.
- A more inclusive and diverse tech ecosystem.
Areas for improvement include expanding training programmes to address emerging technologies, developing stronger partnerships with international tech companies, offering additional support services for entrepreneurs and startups, and securing long-term funding to ensure the programme’s sustainability.
The Amarante Tech Hub serves as a model for inclusive growth in the tech sector, empowering individuals and driving regional economic success.
Building on the sustainable and integrated urban approach
The Amarante Tech Hub addresses the region’s economic, environmental and social challenges.
Economic: The programme creates a hub for tech companies, universities, and public and private sectors. This fosters economic development, job creation (1 000 by 2030) and potentially attracts investment through initiatives like "Move Your Business to Amarante."
Social: Initiatives like "Talent Check-In" create a network of tech professionals, potentially increasing the local talent pool. Remote work opportunities ("Digital Nomads") could add to the city's population and cultural diversity.
Environmental: A focus on technology could be steered towards sectors with environmental benefits, such as clean energy or sustainable infrastructure in the future.
Based on participatory approach
The Amarante Tech Hub employed a robust participatory approach in both its development and implementation phases. Stakeholder involvement is a cornerstone of the project's success, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard and community needs are met.
Regular Urban Local Group (ULG) meetings bring together representatives from local government, educational institutions, tech companies, and community organisations to discuss and refine project objectives.
Community workshops are held to gather input from underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, and individuals from underprivileged backgrounds, ensuring their voices help shape the project's direction.
Key stakeholders involved:
- Local government: Provides strategic direction, funding, and policy support.
- Educational institutions: Develop and align curricula with industry needs, offering tailored training programmes.
- Tech companies: Offer mentorship, internship opportunities, and job placements.
- Community organisations: Facilitate outreach and engagement with underrepresented groups.
Stakeholders collaborate in joint planning sessions to align goals and resources. Regular surveys and feedback mechanisms ensure continuous improvement and stakeholder satisfaction.
What difference has it made?
Impact and added value:
- Skills development: The hub has enhanced local talent by providing advanced training in digital technologies, addressing the skills mismatch in the tech sector.
- Employment opportunities: By aligning educational programmes with industry needs, the hub has improved employability.
- Economic growth: The initiative has stimulated local economic growth by fostering tech entrepreneurship and by supporting startups.
Key results:
- Over 200 participants have completed training programmes.
- Approximately 70% of graduates have secured employment in tech roles, significantly improving their economic prospects.
- The hub has supported the creation of 15 new tech startups, providing mentorship and resources for their growth.
Before the project, there was limited tech education and employment opportunities in the tech sector. The project enhanced digital skills among local people, resulted in higher employment rates in tech, and increased diversity in the tech workforce.
Overall, the Amarante Tech Hub has transformed the local tech landscape, promoting inclusivity, economic growth, and sustainability.
Why this Good Practice should be transferred to other cities
The Amarante Tech Hub’s focus on fostering a tech ecosystem is relevant for other European cities and regions.
It is a replicable model, and many cities could adapt its core structure to their own strengths and specialisations, for example, regarding training and partnerships.
By fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, the programme offers a blueprint for job creation and economic growth in the tech sector. This can potentially lead to advancements in clean technologies and resource efficiency.
The programme aligns with:
- EU Cohesion Policy.
- Urban Agenda for the EU.
The practice also aligns with Portugal’s national strategies for digital transformation and inclusion. This alignment ensures compliance with national policies, facilitating access to funding and resources. The legislative framework supports scalability, making it adaptable for other cities aiming to enhance their tech ecosystems while promoting inclusivity and digital literacy.
The Amarante Tech Hub practice is designed to be adaptable to various city contexts. Its core components—skills development, resource access, and inclusion—can be tailored to meet local needs and conditions.
Cities can adjust specific strategies, such as targeted groups for inclusion or types of resources provided, to align with their unique socio-economic environments, ensuring the practice's effectiveness and relevance across different settings.
Instead of focusing on general tech, a city could target a specialist area like clean tech or biotech. Cities could adapt incentive structures for businesses and talent to suit the local context and budget. Infrastructure needs will also vary depending on the city's existing resources and the chosen field of specialisation
The project team are open to sharing their methodology and experiences with interested cities, and to explore the potential for adaptations in different contexts.