I believe that one of the most successful campaigns in the history of tourism is without a doubt that of “Asturias Natural Paradise”. A slogan that perfectly describes what Asturias is, and that makes us dream of a paradise on earth. A campaign that turns 40 this year and will surely continue to run for at least another 40.
Asturias today leads job creation in Spainaccording to the Active Population Survey, +9.7% and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Spain, 8.57%. Without a doubt, the commitment to digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0 and Cybersecurity are key to this growth and an example for the rest of the regions.
According to official data, in Asturias 3.5 jobs in the digital sector are enough to generate one million euros of GDP, while in other sectors 35 jobs are needed. This does not mean that other sectors are not necessary or efficient, but rather it highlights the added value of the digital industry.
We must remember the four axes for the economic and social growth of the country: the competitiveness of the ICT sector; the skills needed in this new era; the impact of digitalization and development; and finally, the application in all productive sectors and society of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the importance of having quality data.
It is worth remembering the importance of business collaboration to grow and ensure that large companies attract traction from small and medium-sized ones. Competition is important, but collaboration is even more important. Our competitor is sometimes very far from our region, it is better to collaborate to be able to compete in a global world.
For this, it is essential strengthen the weakest areas of small and medium-sized companies in the digital industryvery strong in technology development, but sometimes with deficiencies in key areas of business success such as marketing, financing or people management.
Something that is linked to the incorporation of digital and technological skills in all educational stages. If Spain wants to improve its leadership at a global level, it will need the best trained people in the world, and that training today involves digital skills. That was the bet that South Korea made when it was the poorest country in the world, back in the 1950s, and a few years ago its economy surpassed that of Spain.
Continuing in the area of digital skills, it should be unavoidable the direct participation of professionals from the digital industry in teaching, to bring the world of business and the digital industry closer to people. Also the support of companies for teaching, donating materials, training and facilitating experiences in their companies.
The university plays a fundamental role in the development of a society and a country; it produces great professionals capable of changing the world. The Spanish university and its scientists have a great capacity for scientific production, recognized worldwide, the challenge is to convert that science into innovation and a product. Many times the science that we develop with Spanish talent becomes innovation, product and wealth outside our borders.. For this reason, it is proposed to create flexible and shared curricula, with the participation of companies and administration.
Continuous training in a changing world is a primary need, which is why non-formal training should be recognized officially and update formal training programs continuously and quickly.
But digitalization is useless if it is not applied in all productive sectors, and for this It is necessary for companies to train in change management. Changes usually generate rejection, but they are inevitable to progress. It is essential that the positive impact of digitalization on the organization is measured and understood.
And finally, as the English say last but not least , the importance of the role that people play in the development and implementation of key technologies such as artificial intelligence or cybersecurity. AI is there to serve people, and it has to adapt to their needs and conditions. It is true that we always have to make a small effort to change the way we work and adapt to new technologies. And the same thing happens with cybersecurity, here the human factor is even more important, because many times we suffer cyber attacks due to lack of knowledge and overconfidence.
If we were all able to apply these formulas, I am sure that Asturias, and Spain as a whole, would improve our competitiveness as a country, we would generate quality employment and wealth to maintain the welfare state. Let’s work to position our country as a Natural and Digital Paradise. “Spain Digital Paradise”.