- The initiative has included technical training aimed at facilitating access to the labour market, promoting professional retraining and more sustainable entrepreneurship.
- More than twenty people will be hired for projects linked to the Júcar River.
- The project is part of the national Empleaverde Plus initiative, managed by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el reto Demográfico and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
15 July 2025.- The EmpleaXúquer project, coordinated by the Consorci de la Ribera and the Fundació Limne, has completed its training phase, in which 45 of the 200 people interested in the initiative have participated. The project aims to improve the skills and competences of unemployed people in the La Ribera region (Valencia).
Through practical training and subsequent recruitment, EmpleaXúquer has trained programme participants in two key occupations: specialists in ecological restoration and nature promotion agents. These occupations are a continuation of the Canya a la canya project, as the trained and hired personnel will work on restoration and maintenance actions for the Júcar aquatic ecosystems, or on the design and promotion of actions to disseminate, raise awareness and promote these natural spaces.
The project has included five training activities ranging from the theoretical fundamentals of aquatic ecosystems to practical and soft skills, with a focus on equal opportunities.
Following this initial training phase, 16 ecological restoration labourers will be selected from among all the participants in the training programme to be hired for 12 months on maintenance and conservation projects on sections of the Júcar River that are part of the Natura 2000 Network. In addition, five nature promotion agents will be selected and hired for 14 months to promote awareness and understanding of the river ecosystem.
EmpleaXúquer not only aims to improve the employability of participants, but will also contribute to the maintenance and promotion of the ecological status of the restored areas of the Júcar River, reducing the risk of flooding and promoting other essential ecosystem services.
The project is in line with the growing demand for job skills in the river restoration sector and responds to the local community’s needs to maintain and protect the Júcar River ecosystem.
It should be noted that both the course materials and content and the management of the tutorials were carried out by staff from Limne and the Consorci de la Ribera, together with leading experts in the field during the technical visits associated with the training programme.
‘We have offered theoretical and practical training so that these people can adapt to more efficient intervention strategies in our rivers and wetlands, taking into account the impacts that our ecosystems usually suffer and proposing solutions based on nature and bioengineering,’ explains Sales Tomàs, director of the Limne Foundation.
The Consorci de la Ribera, formed by the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta and the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Baixa, was represented at the course diploma ceremony by their respective presidents, Paqui Momparler Orta and Rafael Gisbert Aragón. The presidents of both organisations presented the diplomas to the participants, highlighting the effort, dedication and commitment shown throughout the training, and emphasising the importance of continuing to promote training as a key tool for professional and personal development.
Context and needs
The La Ribera region, with an economy based on agriculture, has experienced a decline in cultivated land and an increase in unemployment in recent years. In addition, the municipalities in the area are facing population loss and ageing.
The Júcar River is a key element in this territory, and the EmpleaXúquer project will contribute to the conservation of this valuable river ecosystem, generating green jobs and promoting environmental sustainability.
European funding
The EmpleaXúquer training and recruitment programme is supported by the Empleaverde Plus Programme, managed by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). Its aim is to support training projects for green employment and entrepreneurship, aimed at helping unemployed people, workers and entrepreneurs to acquire or improve the skills required for the ecological transition. The aim is to facilitate access to the labour market, promote professional retraining and more sustainable entrepreneurship.
