We’ve spoken quite a lot about Bizkaia Talent, the foundation run by the Biscay Government that has a clear mission: encouraging and promoting the proper conditions to attract and keep highly-qualified people in innovation and knowledge in Bilbao, Biscay, and the whole of the Basque Country.
And we bring them up again today to discuss one of their most-publicized activities: preparing different workshops, called Be Basque Talent Meetings (BBTM), around the world to bring talent of both those originally from the Basque Country who are working abroad as well as those originally from abroad, such as technical experts who might be interested in moving here.
Last week, they traveled to England and Scotland, specifically London and Edinburgh, as part of the Basque Talent initiative at the Basque Government’s SPRI. It isn’t the first time Bizkaia Talent has organized this type of event in England, but it is their first visit to Scotland.
And this event has caused more than a little stir, to put a word to it, in the Scottish media. Even The Times has dedicated a lengthy article to it, and the Scottish The Herald put the story on the front page!
The question they pose, in a brief summary, is that Bizkaia Talent is in Scotland to headhunt professionals in developing and growing the Scottish energy sector and taking them back to the Basque Country.
Actually, as is explained in some of the articles covering the event in Edinburgh, a large number of professionals headed to the UK in the 2008 crisis. At the end of the day, the clean energy sector is quite established in Scotland, with a good deal of support from the Basque firm Iberdrola, owner of Scottish Power, as well as having a presence, and investments in other Basque companies such as Gamesa or Ingeteam.
This situation, seeking to have these professionals return to their homeland, was already analyzed the Ben Champan in his 2017 article in The Independent. In it, he discussed the consequences of Brexit, which the Scots have suffered from doubly, as they were against leaving and yet found themselves dragged out of the EU.
So, in a great simplification, they’re worried we’re “stealing back” that which had originally been lost to us.
We’ll leave you with the articles by Martin Williams in The Herald; by Jeremy Watson in The Times; and by Jane Bradley in The Scotsman.
As these websites require registration, we’ll also share them on the service Archive Today, where they’re available in their entirety.
The Herald – 30/11/2023 – Scotland
Spanish ‘talent wars’ bid to lure Scots workers with tax breaks
One of Spain’s semi-autonomous regions is making a bid to lure Scots green energy workers by offering tax breaks to relocate despite Scotland already facing critical labour shortages.
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The Times -4/12/2023 – Great Britain
Scotland faces ‘brain drain’ of renewables workers back to the EU
Basque government aims to persuade highly-skilled Spaniards who trained in Scottish energy industry.
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The Times -4/12/2023 – Great Britain
Scotland faces ‘brain drain’ of renewables workers back to the EU
Basque government aims to persuade highly-skilled Spaniards who trained in Scottish energy industry.
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(Archive Today)
The Scotman -4/12/2023 – Great Britain
Basque Government-funded recruitment organisation aims to create ‘brain drain’ in Scotland’s renewables industry
A recruitment organisation backed by the government of the Basque Country to fill a skills gap is setting its sights on creating a “brain drain” in Scotland by targeting employees who have learned their trade in the Scottish green energy industry.
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Last Updated on Feb 12, 2024 by About Basque Country
