The Minister of the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue, and Administrative Simplification, Antonio Sanz, and the Mayor of Vélez-Málaga, Jesús Lupiáñez, have signed the agreement that formalizes the opening of a digital skills training center in this municipality of the Axarquía region, specializing in the application of technology in agriculture (agrotech). The center, which has already begun its activities and is located in the Urban building provided by the City Council, offers digital training to make the use of water in crops more efficient, combat drought, and digitize the agricultural sector.
The Minister stated, «We need to provide our young people with the necessary training to meet the demand for ICT profiles from Andalusian companies.» «We want technology to be the third economic engine of our region, and in provinces like Malaga, we are already achieving this,» he concluded.
Antonio Sanz explained that the establishment of this specialized digital training center in agrotech in Vélez-Málaga is not arbitrary, as «the subtropical climate and the geography of the Vélez River valley have enabled diversified and productive agriculture, supported by strong cooperatives and institutional efforts to address challenges such as water scarcity.» He also emphasized that «in this center, we aim to attract entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas.»
This center is one of the nodes whose creation is included in the four agreements signed by the Digital Agency of Andalusia (ADA) with the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) to strengthen the business fabric of Andalusia, prepare it for the challenges and opportunities of the digital age, and promote the development of digital talent. These agreements, with a total investment of 30 million euros over four years, include the establishment of ten physical technological nodes plus one virtual node with a specialization tailored to the development of the needs of local business and labor sectors.
The technological nodes have Centers for Business High Performance, Digital Entrepreneurship Centers, training for new professionals in the digital economy, and up-skilling programs (training professionals in new skills and competencies).
Antonio Sanz emphasized that «training will facilitate the digital development of companies, the access of young people to high-value technological jobs, and especially digital entrepreneurship.» These projects are in line with the entrepreneurship model that the Andalusian Government is committed to, where public-private collaboration is essential to support and promote emerging Andalusian companies.
79 people already trained or in training in Vélez Málaga
The Vélez Málaga node started with two lines of action dedicated to training for business development and support for digital entrepreneurship. In both lines, 37 people have already been trained, and another 42 participants are currently receiving specialized training.
In the case of training for business development, a first edition has already been completed, training 19 people, and a second edition is currently underway, started on May 27, with 20 participants. This line offers a flexible itinerary designed to improve the competitiveness of established SMEs and update the professional skills of their workers. Through specialized training, the aim is to promote innovation, efficient management, and internationalization of businesses in a sector like agriculture that is increasingly looking abroad.
A first edition of the digital entrepreneurship support line has also been held, training 18 entrepreneurs. The second edition started on May 7 and has 22 participants. In this program, entrepreneurs are provided with comprehensive support in all stages of the process, from business plan development to company launch.
Third line in September
Starting in September, the node will offer a third line of action focused on training for young people. Currently, applications are open for training in «AI applied to the agri-food sector», a course that will enable students to acquire the necessary knowledge to enter the job market at a professional level in a more innovative and digital agri-food sector.
In addition to the Vélez-Málaga node, the agreement with EOI allows for the creation of nine more physical technological nodes plus one virtual node, each specializing in meeting the needs of local business and labor sectors. These are in Jerez, focused on the aerospace sector; Córdoba, focused on technology applied to logistics, civil, and military sectors; Cádiz, based on the high-tech naval industry; Jaén, focused on video game design and digital content; Granada focused on Artificial Intelligence; Linares, focused on software development for electric cars; Huelva, focused on Green Industry 5.0; Utrera and Puente Genil.
In addition to these, there is a virtual node that extends the project to the entire Andalusia region, especially to smaller municipalities and rural areas. This virtual technological node currently has open calls for five courses for young people and five courses for companies and professionals. The courses range from generative artificial intelligence for SMEs or digital marketing for your business, to AI-driven robotics, 3D printing, or Data Analytics. The training offer can be found on the portal www.andaluciavuela.es
The Minister highlighted that these nodes adhere to a «new learning model», as they offer training tailored to each specialization based on the economic potential of the territory where they are created, with the aim of promoting competitiveness, self-employment, and the creation of new companies in each of these sectors. At the same time, Antonio Sanz valued the fact that training itineraries are «designed specifically for each profile» (SME workers, unemployed youth, or digital entrepreneurs) through courses that can even be taken online or in a blended learning format.
3,212 registrations in Andalusian nodes
Through these nodes, a total of 123 training activities have been convened, of which 62 have already been completed, 28 have started their training period, and 33 are in the process of recruiting students. The response has been significant, with 3,212 registrations, 1,745 enrolled participants, and 728 individuals who have successfully completed their training, thus strengthening their digital skills.
Thanks to these technological nodes, nearly 40 digital entrepreneurship projects have been promoted, and 38 SMEs have improved the competitiveness of their companies through our ‘Center for Business High Performance’ program.
It is worth noting, for example, the boost in training in Artificial Intelligence, one of the strategic areas for the digital future. In this area, 30 specific actions have been implemented, of which 13 have already been completed, 13 are in the recruitment phase, and four are currently being delivered.
Among the most notable training activities due to high demand is the online course for SMEs ‘Generative Artificial Intelligence for SMEs (4th Edition)’. This course has been designed to integrate generative artificial intelligence into the business strategies of SMEs, transforming operations and improving customer experience through the use of advanced AI tools and prompt engineering techniques.
