Porto leads new forum to retain engineering talent in Portugal
Initiative reinforces collaboration between academia, industry and the municipality to attract and retain skilled professionals
The city of Porto has become the stage for a new initiative targeting the retention of engineering talent in Portugal. The Order of Engineers launched the Talent Attraction and Retention Forum, designed to encourage young people to pursue engineering studies at Portuguese universities and ultimately contribute to the local and national workforce. The forum’s inaugural event at Porto Innovation Hub was attended by key figures, including the Minister of Education, Fernando Alexandre and Porto’s city councillor responsible for talent and knowledge, Matilde Rocha.
Representing the municipality, Vice-President Catarina Araújo highlighted the city’s commitment to attracting qualified professionals and strengthening Porto’s competitive edge. She emphasised the central role of the University of Porto and Porto Polytechnic as anchors for engineering education and innovation, noting that the city’s talent, knowledge, and execution capacity form the backbone of regional expertise.
Representing the municipality, Vice-President Catarina Araújo highlighted the city’s commitment to attracting qualified professionals and strengthening Porto’s competitive edge. She emphasised the central role of the University of Porto and Porto Polytechnic as anchors for engineering education and innovation, noting that the city’s talent, knowledge, and execution capacity form the backbone of regional expertise.
A significant element of Porto’s strategy is the municipal agency InvestPorto, which has been instrumental in attracting investment and fostering job creation. Since its foundation in 2015, InvestPorto has supported over 620 investment projects, representing nearly €2.5 billion and generating approximately 30,000 jobs. Through initiatives such as TERA (Talent, Evolve, Retain, and Attract), the city monitors the local labour market while promoting strategic actions to retain and attract qualified professionals.
The Order of Engineers reinforced the importance of such initiatives, with Bastonário Fernando de Almeida Santos calling for further national strategies to attract and retain talent, recognising the pivotal role of the state. Porto’s efforts, supported by InvestPorto’s initiatives to foster innovation, attract investment and retain skilled professionals, underscore the city’s position as a hub of innovation and economic sovereignty, highlighting engineering talent as a key strategic asset for both the city and Europe.
