The central region includes the cities of Coimbra, Aveiro, Viseu, Leiria, Castelo Branco, Covilhã and Guarda.


According to the report that the CIP - Business Confederation in Portugal, the impact of automation on the labour market will be proportionally stronger in the centre, because the economic structure is more concentrated in the sectors that will be more affected by automation.


That is where 26.5% and 27% of the agricultural and manufacturing activity, respectively, is located.


“However, 130,000 jobs will also be created there by automation and growth generated by it,” according to the report.


The most affected industries in that region, which has 20% of the country’s workforce, will be plastic, rubber and metal products, food, beverage and tobacco.


The report concluded that about 1.8 million workers will “need to improve their skills or change jobs by 2030.”


The regional analysis resulted from a collaboration protocol between CIP and the NOVA School of Business and Economics and was carried out following a national CIP report published in January on the impact of automation on the future of employment.


In the opposite direction, “adopting automation and the inherent economic growth could create between 600,000 and 1.1 million new jobs up to 2030, with a special focus on the health, social assistance, technical and construction sectors.”