The Vice-President of the Government announced the implementation of "Terceira Tech Island" project, starting today. It was created under PREIT - Economic Recovery and Revitalisation Plan for Terceira Island in order to leverage the competitive advantages that this island and the archipelago can offer in the development of information technologies. It will focus on the intensive training of staff on programming as well as on the creation of conditions to attract private investment in this sector.
 
Sérgio Ávila pointed out in Praia da Vitória the beginning of the first programming course promoted the Code Academy in the Azores. He stressed that, "following several efforts" over the last months, "it is not just a training course that is about to start, today a new stage begins in the development of the Region and of Terceira Island."
 
"The project that we begin today falls within the scope of PREIT and is one of the measures planned to mitigate the effects of the reduction in the activity of Lajes Air Base," said the government official.
 
In this regard, Sérgio Ávila recalled that the Government of the Azores analysed "internationally" the sectors of economic activity with greater potential, having identified the programming sector "as the one that provides the greatest opportunities."
 
"It is a sector of exponential growth, where companies have a growing market but lack sufficient human resources." In addition, regular education is not able "to train staff in order to respond to this need" in good time, said the Vice-President.
 
Identifying these opportunities and within the scope of PREIT, the Regional Government the Government of the Azores has decided to create "six key pillars" to attract companies and implement the Terceira Tech Island project: fiscal conditions; incentive schemes; availability of facilities for companies; accommodation for relocated workers; training for junior programmers; recruitment of senior programmers.
 
The Vice-President stressed that the Regional Government ensures a "more beneficial and competitive" tax scheme, taking into account that this sector relies essentially on human resources." Moreover, the "Terceira Tech Island" project will support "the investment of companies that will operate in this area," through the incentive scheme, and provide facilities.
 
Under the research work carried out, Sérgio Ávila revealed the decision to provide companies operating in the programming area "with facilities for the development of their activity as well as with the accommodation for their staff," thus creating another two important pillars.
 
The Vice-President pointed out that there are nearly 50 thousand programmers in Portugal and a much higher number in Europe to establish the necessary staff for this project, emphasising that the fourth pillar concerns the investment in training.
 
"This partnership with the Code Academy, a successful model certified by many international programming companies, aims to meet this need," said Sérgio Ávila. According to him, this is "a more intense and faster training" that allows to, "within four months, certify junior programmers who are ready to meet market demands."
 
With regard to the competitiveness of companies, the government official also stressed the importance of creating conditions to "attract senior programmers."
 
"In this regard, we have developed a process to attract not only companies, but also experienced programmers," revealed the government official.
 
Sérgio Ávila spoke to the 20 trainees selected among 130 participants who applied for the Bootcamp programme. The initiative was promoted by the Code Academy without any cost for participants. The government official highlighted the "full guarantee of employability" in this sector and the importance of its future contribution to make the Region "a national reference," through "Terceira Tech Island."
 
The Regional Government in partnership with the national startup Code Academy promotes the first programming course. It will last 14 weeks. Trainees were chosen through a rigorous selection process by the educational team of the Code Academy.