The NewEcoSmart project pilot in Spain is entering its final stage. With two months remaining until its conclusion, the Spanish pilot continues to advance steadily, engaging around 50 users.
The Spanish pilot has faced several challenges, including a lack of sustainable business models implemented, the need for skills in the twin transition, the absence of an ecosystem that encourages innovation and long-term economic resilience and limited availability of new training schools and programs.
Initially focused in Yecla, a municipality in the Region of Murcia, the positive results achieved have allowed AMUEBLA (the Spanish pilot leader) to explore synergies with other Spanish regions. Asturias has been one of those regions, thanks to the presence of CTIC, a NewEcoSmart project partner, in the area.
The Spanish pilot’s approach involves organizing in-person group sessions to introduce the project, present its training tools and assess each user’s progress using the self-assessment tool or an in-situ analysis. Based on the outcomes, users are provided with project tools such as the microlearning platform and the MOOC, and they are guided on how to use them effectively.
From there, participants work independently and remotely over several weeks, with remote support available from the training team when needed.
So far, the pilot has been a success: 27 participants have completed the self-assessment tool, about 42 users are actively using the microlearning application and around 34 have registered on the MOOC platform.
Ana María P.M., a member of Pilot Group 2, remarked, “This pilot is very interesting because it connects me with up-to-date digital tools.”
In conclusion, the results are positive and it is expected that over the remaining two months, these outcomes will continue to improve as more users are recruited for each NES toolkit tool. The continued growth of participant engagement is crucial to maximizing the project’s impact, as expanding the number of trained individuals will help disseminate green and digital skills more widely across rural regions.
Moreover, addressing the identified challenges will be essential for ensuring the pilot’s long-term success. By overcoming obstacles such as the absence of sustainable business models and the need for improved skills in the twin transition, the Spanish pilot can contribute significantly to building a more resilient, innovative and sustainable ecosystem. These efforts will not only reinforce the project’s immediate objectives but also lay the groundwork for future initiatives that promote economic resilience and sustainable development in Spain and beyond.