Dominican Republic Opens New Tech Training Hub in San Francisco de Macorís

SAN FRANCISCO DE MACORÍS, Dominican Republic — A new technological training center, an extension of the Technological Institute of the Americas (ITLA), opened Friday in San Francisco de Macorís, aimed at equipping young people in the northeastern region with digital skills.

The facility, a joint initiative by the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) and ITLA, seeks to boost employability and position the Dominican Republic as a regional leader in digital transformation.

Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza, Indotel Council President Guido Gómez Mazara, and ITLA Rector Rafael Féliz García led the inauguration. The project represents a 25 million Dominican peso investment from Indotel and ITLA.

Speaking on behalf of President Luis Abinader, Paliza emphasized the government's goal to enhance technological education across the population, fostering integration into the digital economy. “This effort will allow the Northeast region to advance in the technological development projects we have proposed,” Paliza said.

Gómez Mazara highlighted the center's role as a “symbol of change, progress, and opportunities” for youth in San Francisco de Macorís and surrounding areas. He announced that Indotel and ITLA plan to open seven additional centers nationwide this year and next. Indotel will also provide 10,000 scholarships for STEM education to young people in the northeastern province.

ITLA Rector Féliz García underscored President Abinader's vision for widespread technological education. He noted the San Francisco de Macorís campus will offer programs in artificial intelligence, data science, software development, cybersecurity, information networks, and multimedia.

These programs are tailored for strategic sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, industrial tourism, and exporting small and medium-sized businesses.

The new facility features five technology-equipped classrooms, three of which Indotel outfitted with smart screens for interactive and live sessions. It also includes a library with workstations and dedicated spaces for research and collaborative study.

With a capacity for 150 students simultaneously, the center expects to train approximately 6,000 individuals annually through specialized short courses, diplomas, workshops, and micro-credentials aligned with local and national labor market demands.

The curriculum encompasses data science for agriculture and industry, AI for predictive maintenance, software development for small businesses and local governments, cloud and physical cybersecurity, information networks for productive sectors, and multimedia for territorial marketing and graphic design.

This ITLA extension in San Francisco de Macorís joins existing campuses in Santo Domingo East, Santo Domingo North, Santiago, San Pedro de Macorís, Bonao, Moca, Monte Plata, Nagua, and Pedernales, broadening national access to technological education.

Among the special guests at the inauguration were Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz, Duarte Province Sen. Franklin Romero, San Francisco de Macorís Mayor Alex Díaz, provincial Gov. Ana Xiomara Cortés, and other officials.