Key data provided by the European Commission shows that 82 regions in 16 EU countries are severely affected by a decline in working-age population, where regions have a low rate of university and higher education graduates, as well as a negative mobility of their population between 15 and 39. Of the 46 identified regions currently facing a talent development trap, 11 were selected in the framework of Pillar 1 of the Talent Booster Mechanism to receive technical expert support for the development, elaboration and implementation of actionable strategies to address the challenges of talent retention and attraction.
The Puglia region was one of the regions successfully selected for the Technical Assistance and that EURADA supported with targeted expertise. Puglia developed a comprehensive strategy – #mareAsinistra – to attract and retain talent. During the Technical Assistance, an intelligence and monitoring tool was developed to collect data for effective tracking and evaluation of the strategy’s implementation. Additionally, with the active collaboration of the Puglia region team, targeted stakeholder engagement and collaboration initiatives were mainstreamed to foster greater ownership of the strategy.
The conclusion of the Technical Assistance in the Puglia region was marked by the event Il futuro è qui: talenti e competenze per le Regioni d’Europa (The future is here: talent and skills for Europe’s regions) that took place in Bari on January 30, 2025. Organised by the Department for Economic Development, Research and International Relations Section of the Puglia Region, along with ARTI – Agenzia Regionale per la Tecnologia, il Trasferimento Tecnologico e l’Innovazione, the event was held in collaboration with Grand Est – Champagne Ardenne region in France, also selected for the Technical Assistance exercise. Additionally, the event took place within the framework of the regional initiative Future4Puglia, the regional strategy for the talent attraction and valorisation #mareAsinistra, and CCI France Italie within Club Mezzogiorno.
On this occasion, regional leaders, decision makers, enterprises, startups and innovation stakeholders gathered to explore strategies for the development and retention of talent, investments in people’s skills and the sustainable growth of regions. The path of the technical assistance in Puglia was retraced through the key steps that led to the concrete development of tangible results, such as the intelligence and monitoring tool of the #mareAsinistra strategy. Representatives from the Grand Est – Champagne Ardenne region also shared their experience with the Technical Assistance: the synergies and results from interregional cooperation were unanimously recognised, as successful partnerships and shared learning experiences from their respective strategies highlighted the importance of collaborative approaches in addressing common challenges such as talent shortages and skill mismatches.
The second part of the event focused on policy measures to tackle talent shortages at the regional level, examining the connection between education, training, and labour market demands. Crucial to foster this debate was the presence of innovation and labour market agencies, territorial initiatives and innovation hubs in the region, as well as enterprises and startups established in the Puglia territory such as Capgemini, BionIT Labs, Studio LabLaw, B-ME and CETMA. The debate emphasised two main aspects: first, the need to foster high-value skill development and sustainable investments to boost regional competitiveness; second, the importance of enhancing regional cooperation through a platform for dialogue and interregional partnerships aimed at achieving common goals.
Starting from the #mareAsinistra strategy, the Puglia region aims to continue advancing initiatives that enhance territorial attractiveness, fostering an ecosystem where innovation, human capital, and international opportunities take centre stage.
Watch the video recap of the event here.
