Human capital and innovation: employment policies in local and regional innovation networks for talent attraction and better job opportunities
Working4Talent deals with the employment policy issues related to the local and regional innovation systems. INNOVATION IS NOT JUST A TOOL FOR COMPETITIVENESS AND GROWTH, which therefore helps to create more and better jobs. INDEED IT IS, BUT IT HAS ALSO BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT IN ITSELF. 
This is evident in developed regions, where innovation demand (innovative companies, public and private research centres) has boosted the number of innovation related jobs. In less developed regions, innovation demand is lower, and innovation related jobs are not so abundant, driving many talented young people to emigration. Project will try to identify the employment policies responding to such new realities; policies that help matching talent supply and demand; policies providing the right incentives for talent creation and attraction, and to make talent mobility an instrument for talent growth.
Partnership includes 11 local and regional authorities from 9 MS (5 NMS)
and a Norwegian partner. Most of them have a long experience in interregional cooperation, and they are closely dealing with employment and innovation issues, from different points of view. The variety of perspectives makes this project particularly attractive, as it ensures that every aspect of the policy issue will be considered. The project is particularly attractive for local and regional authorities from peripheral and less developed areas, which are facing this problem more acutely. 
The project is organized around a strong Exchange of Experience component. Based on common guidelines, partners will firstly look inside to detect the strengths and weaknesses of their employment markets connected to their local/regional innovation systems. Thematic workshops and seminars will raise the partner’s awareness about policy implications, and study visits will allow them to have a deeper understanding of policies implemented in other areas.
Then, partners will produce a compilation of Best Practices and a Policy Document. A limited number of Pilot Projects (3) will be implemented to further illustrate policy options. The project will set up a High Level Advisory Board that will help raising project profile and ensuring relevance and transferability of policy conclusions.
The project has got a clear and solid communication strategy based on well thought communication objectives, target groups and messages, according to project objectives. Project communication will be addressed simultaneously to local stakeholders in partner areas and a wider audience of policy makers and practitioners. Once the project had produced the main outputs, communication will focus on policy transfer, including an active dissemination of the products and findings near the European institutions and the European networks that may help to multiply the impact of the project, to bring its core issue into European employment policies.