A technological centre will open in the first quarter of 2025 with an expenditure of more than €1.7 million. The works, which will start in June and are expected to be completed by the end of September/mid-October, are estimated to cost €464 thousand, whilst the other €1.3 million will be put into technological equipment.

According to the mayor Vítor Paulo Pereira, the future technological centre “will attract new students to Paredes de Coura, influenced by the innovative proposals that EPRAMI presents”. As he explained, “It’s one thing to have laboratories at school and another to have a pavilion that can create the atmosphere of a factory. We will have robotics, advanced welding, and computer programming. Basically, everything that is happening at the National Robotics Festival. The technology centre will, above all, serve EPRAMI - Escola Profissional do Alto Minho Interior students, who will have a space to learn in a work context”.

The mayor has also stated that “people are very afraid of robotics because they think it destroys jobs, but it increases the competitiveness of companies and relieves workers from monotonous, heavy, and dangerous tasks”. Nonetheless, he argues that there are highly automated manufacturers using state-of-the-art technology in Paredes de Coura. One such factory is the Kyaia group, which has made investments in Industry 4.0. “The Kyaia group's commitment to technological innovation did not cause layoffs. On the contrary, there are employment opportunities”.

The project satisfies the municipality's commitment to robotics and is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), which according to the mayor makes it the perfect place “to hold the national festival in the municipality." Afonso Reis, who was born in Paredes de Coura and got second place in one of the National Robotics Festival editions, saw his life being changed by the competition.

“Today I have a company that produces robotic industrial machines for companies in the automotive, metallurgical, and food sectors. My interest in robotics was born at the festival, I developed this aptitude and it is this message that we want to convey to young people”, said the businessman who also teaches robotics classes to EPRAMI students.