SPAIN: Specialized training launches
New vocational training prepares students for job opportunities in emerging field
SPAIN
(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Pamplona, Spain, are involved in the INFINITE project, part of the European Executive Agency for Education and Culture Erasmus Cove project. The INFINITE project (intelligent printing, flexible and organic electronics excellence) is supported by the Department of Education of the Government of Navarre and the Smart Cities Institute of the Public University of Navarre. In addition, the project in Spain will have the collaboration of a network of partners in France, Portugal and Greece.
A Salesian explained, “The INFINITE project, which will receive European funding for four years, is to support the rapid progress of printed, flexible and organic electronics, providing a skilled workforce and enhancing specialist knowledge. We are creating new vocational training capable of providing the knowledge and skills necessary for the required jobs. The goal is for the project team to create a network of similar professional excellence centers across Europe to support these efforts.”
Printed electronics, flexible and organic, is an emerging field that encompasses several disciplines including electronics, materials science, chemistry, physics, printing technologies, and production and integration engineering. It is the production of electronic components and devices using printing and thermoforming techniques, which allow the creation of flexible, lightweight and economical electronic products. These products are being used in a wide array of industries including health care, accessibility, construction, automotive and aerospace, consumer electronics, energy efficiency and more.
Spain is currently the second dominant market in the European Union, after Germany. Continuous advances in printed, flexible and organic electronics also continue to drive innovation and open up new possibilities for applications and technologies. With the rapid evolution of the sector, new skills and profiles are increasingly required at different levels of education, from the operator to the engineering specialist.
The Salesian explained, “People hired in companies producing electronic materials and equipment, printing and graphic arts, paper, packaging, industrial screen printing or even companies producing plastic products will therefore have the opportunity to update their existing skills toward new knowledge and technologies. This project and the cross-section of professionals trained in functional printing and printed electronics will have a direct impact on these sectors, which will benefit from training courses for their employees, international training and recruitment of qualified personnel.”
In 2021, skilled workers in these sectors accounted for more than 11% of employment in Navarre and an income of almost 2 billion euro. The specialized training from this project will have an important impact on the demand for new qualified professionals.
The Salesian noted, “In today’s society, there is already a high demand for skilled labor able to design, manufacture and test these devices, but the industry continues to demand workers with knowledge and skills that go beyond the contents. The INFINITE project was created precisely to meet these needs.”
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Spain
World Bank – Spain
