AMETIC, as secretariat of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition in Spain, promotes digital talent at the VIII Alliance Forum for the Development of Digital Talent

AMETIC, DCH and Mediaset receive Óscar López, Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function

The minister has pointed to public-private collaboration as a fundamental lever to boost talent, in his speech during the inauguration of the VIII Alliance Forum for the Development of Digital Talent
The opening event was also attended by Cristina Garmendia, President of Mediaset Spain; Juan Carlos Pérez Espinosa, President of DCH; and Francisco Hortigüela, President of AMETIC
Under the motto ‘Connected minds: global talent with the AI revolution”, the forum brought together government representatives, large technology companies and education experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities that digitalisation poses to the labour market

On October 23, AMETIC and DCH held in Madrid the VIII Alliance Forum for the Development of Digital Talent, an initiative framed in the activities of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, of which AMETIC is the secretariat in Spain. The event, which took place in Mediaset Spain's studios, brought together representatives of the public sector, technology companies, educational institutions and experts in digital skills under the slogan "Connected minds: global talent with the AI revolution”.

The forum had a presence of 235 attendees and was followed in streaming by 736 people, reflecting the growing interest in the development of digital skills in Spain.

In his speech, López has called for the creation of national talent. To create Spanish talent is to build European digital sovereignty. Spaces such as this forum and agents such as AMETIC are essential on the way to a digital Spain that grows without leaving anyone behind. A digital and competitive Spain that is only possible with vision, resources, public-private collaboration and European values".

In addition, Óscar López has highlighted the national projects that make this progress possible. For example, “the National Plan for Digital Competences, with more than €3.07 billion, has enabled more than 2 million people to be trained”. For this, he also wanted to remember the importance of public-private collaboration, an alliance that, for the minister, is more alive than ever. “In Spain, we are allocating one in four euros to this digital transformation. We are working together with many private sector companies”, he concluded.

Institutional opening has continued with the participation of Juan Carlos Pérez Espinosa, President of DCH; Cristina Garmendia, President of Mediaset Spain, and Francisco Hortigüela, President of AMETIC. Pérez Espinosa pointed out that “the union of DCH, the main organization of human capital managers and Ametic, the voice of the digital industry, is a great step to face the challenge of developing digital talent, as a key to the competitiveness of the country”.

Next, Cristina Garmendia, President of Mediaset Spain, stressed that "we live in an exceptional moment in which we are obliged to serve society with our maximum commitment. The generative Artificial Intelligence revolution is not only transforming the economy, but the way we learn, create and collaborate. We have fully entered the era of augmented talent, where technology amplifies human capabilities, and where curiosity, creativity, empathy and ethics become the new critical competencies. We know that true technological progress starts in people and the future of talent will depend not only on mastering technology, but on making human sense of it, on learning to live with artificial intelligence without losing empathy, ethics and critical thinking.”

Francisco Hortigüela, president of AMETIC, said: "We are living a moment of profound transformation. The digital revolution is not only changing business models, but also the way we work, learn and relate. In this new context, talent has become the real axis of economic and social progress”.

Hortigüela also stressed that the digital-technological sector ‘is today one of the strongest growth drivers in the Spanish economy’. At the same time, he assured that "the challenge is no longer just to grow, but to have the talent necessary to sustain that growth. Nine out of ten technology companies recognise difficulties in filling certain positions. That is why collaboration between administrations, companies and universities cannot be a declaration of intent, but a real commitment to the country.”

Under the motto ‘Connected minds: global talent with the AI revolution”, the eighth edition of the forum brought together representatives of government, major technology companies and education experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities that digitalisation poses to the labour market and the role of digital talent and skills as drivers of growth and competitiveness.

The morning program began with the intervention of Sonia Marzo, AI National Skills Director Spain at Microsoft. With the premise "Lighting the future: global talent in the AI era”, March analysed the new skills that are being imposed as a result of the rise of artificial intelligence, which will generate up to 78 million new jobs by 2030.

After that, Block 1 entitled “Key profiles in the new labour market” has started. In it, Héctor Mata, CEO of Shakers, has been in charge of starting the session with a reflection on talent and training. During his speech, Mata explained a new way of understanding the work environment. “Flexibility in the working environment is not a fad, it is a new working operating system”, he explained.

Next, Monica Zai, Director of Human Resources at Heineken; Cristina Martínez, Director of Human Resources at Obramat; Mónica Herrero, People & Direct Talent Iberia & LATAM by Inetum; moderated by Jorge Molinero, CEO of ATISA; discussed the need to train professionals to adapt their skills to the current needs of companies.

The morning continued with a presentation focused on digital talent and its potential as economic capital. In it, Jordi Arrufi, director of MWC’s Talent Area, shared an analysis of the state of digital talent in our country, which, according to Arrufi, ‘is specialising in high value-added services’, with the digital economy already accounting for 21% of GDP.

Adrián Gómez, National Director of Randstad Digital Spain, has been in charge of closing this first block of the day, sharing some perspectives on how the technological revolution is changing the demand for profiles , warning that “50% of junior jobs will disappear in five years if training is not reinforced”, to avoid it a just transition focused on people must be promoted.

Then, block 2 has started: “Academy and Company Facing the Talent Challenge”. José Luis Martín Zabala, Managing Director of SAGE Iberia, shared a reflection on how technology should be at the service of education and Manuel Martín, CEO of Dos Control, defended training as a strategic decision.

In the educational block, representatives of companies, universities and the public sector gathered around a common message: a State Talent Pact is needed. The table that deepened on this topic was moderated by Mariola García Arellano, CEO of BEJOB. Interventions agreed that the education system needs to be transformed to connect with the real needs of the labour market.
Sara Gómez, director of the Women and Engineering Project of the Royal Academy of Engineering, claimed courage: “Education is the biggest social lift. We have to start from a blank sheet”.
José Ramiro Martínez, VP Digital Talent Committee of AMETIC, recalled that “without empowered teachers there is no transformation possible”, while Paola Olmedo, director of the master’s degree in HR Management and Management at Universidad Europea stressed that “AI will not take jobs, but tasks” and that the University should be “a lever for change”. From a business perspective, David Jiménez, Senior HR Manager in charge of Talent Development & Performance at Santalucía Seguros, advocated “a culture where development is not only vertical, but transversal and continuous”.

The consensus was clear: a state pact that unites administrations, businesses and universities to reimagine education, empower teachers and prepare the country for the digital future.

The public sector also had a voice at the ‘Innovation, training and public sector’ table, moderated by Antonio Ceño, Regional Vice-President, responsible for the Public Sector of Central Spain and Portugal at Salesforce. It showed how cooperation between institutions and companies is key to boosting talent. EOI, CSIC and Red.es presented training programmes that will train more than 80,000 professionals, and Adriana Botelho, CEO and Co-founder of Keepcoding, recalled that “innovation is already excluding those who do not have access to it”.

To end the morning, Miguel Escassi, director of Public Affairs of Google Spain, presented the initiative to train one million citizens in digital skills before 2027, a collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Banco Santander and several universities. among its conclusions highlights that democratizing AI means turning technology into an engine of equity, competitiveness and social impact.

The afternoon kicked off with the continuation of block 2 of the event: “Academy and Company Facing the Talent Challenge”. In it, Guillermo Cánovas, professor, writer and expert on adolescent issues, reflected on the benefits and challenges brought by the rise of artificial intelligence, defending the introduction of AI “with prudence and purpose” to protect the cognitive development of minors.

Block 3 of the event called: ‘Connecting Digital Talent with Real Opportunities’ starred Sudha Solayappan, Vice President, People Experience & Talent from Procept Biorobotics, who shared the latest trends in talent management already being implemented in Silicon Valley. He commented on the cognitive effects of intensive use of AI, but also on its potential to multiply creativity and learning. “The key is not to fear technology, but to decide what place it occupies within human development.”

The last section of the day has focused on talent from a global point of view. With this premise, human resources experts have gathered in a round table designed to reflect on how to achieve a more connected talent between markets. Composed by Elizabeth Guitart, Global HR Leader, Head of HR Healthcare International of Merck Group; Jesús Celada, Ambassador in Special Mission for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Juan Carlos Rondeau, Deputy Director of the Corporate People and Organization area of MAPFRE; Álvaro Vázquez, Director of People Management Iberia and LatAm at Securitas Direct; and moderated by Beatriz García-Quismondo, director of Digital Policies and Digital Talent of AMETIC, the table has agreed on the importance of new skills, such as critical thinking, in a work environment marked by the rise of artificial intelligence. They also agreed that diversity, inclusion and ethical AI are pillars of the new work model.

The day closed with the Secretary General for Innovation, Teresa Riesgo, who stressed that "70% of the country's research is done in universities" and that programs such as ATRAE are attracting senior researchers to Spain.

Francisco Hortigüela and Juan Carlos Pérez Espinosreaffirmed the commitment between AMETIC and DCH, while journalist Ana Terradillos concluded: “Artificial intelligence will not eliminate people; can amplify its value”.