The Cordoba Provincial Council hosted the first training action, titled ‘AI Your New Work Companion’, as part of the CordobIA project. This initiative, developed by the Provincial Institute for Economic Development (Iprodeco) and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), aims to boost the provincial socio-economic fabric through advanced training and professional retraining in emerging technologies.
Ana Rosa Ruz, delegate for Finance and European Funds of the provincial institution, highlighted the workshop's benefits for enhancing business capabilities and introducing the advantages of artificial intelligence to Cordoba's businesses and self-employed individuals, which can improve profitability and market positioning.
Ruz noted that the initiative is based on a prior study of needs identified in previous courses, which were well-received. The training will be structured in two phases: a general knowledge base for entrepreneurs, followed by personalized classes directly applied to their businesses, offering a unique opportunity for the benefit of the province.
Roberto Touza, CEO of Startups .st, explained that the objective is to help participants navigate the artificial intelligence landscape and implement it effectively in their business projects, SMEs, and professional activities.
Touza detailed that the initiative will be highly practical, with training and implementation support to achieve "early wins" and ensure attendees gain real, applicable knowledge. The first training session involved 45 participants and included a masterclass on 'Prompting to Gems in Google Gemini' and a workshop to 'prepare agent teams'.
The CordobIA project, co-financed by the ESF+, aims to improve digital skills in AI, facilitate digital transformation, foster technological adaptation, promote a culture of technological adaptation, and reduce the specialized training digital divide for young people, women, individuals over 45, and people with disabilities.
The training and reskilling program, featuring a hybrid itinerary of 60 hours (40 in-person and 20 live online), is designed for 81 beneficiaries (60 SME employees and 21 unemployed individuals) from across the province of Cordoba. It will include an AI Bootcamp for SMEs, digital strategy and change management sessions, individualized mentoring, and employment intermediation. The registration period remains open, with more project information available on the Iprodeco website.
