Orihuela Costa Overlooked Again in New Council Training Programme

Orihuela City Council's new employment training programme for 2026 has once again omitted residents of Orihuela Costa. The Local Employment and Development Agency (AEDL) is organizing the initiative, which aims to help unemployed residents and workers enhance their professional qualifications. All classroom-based sessions will be held at the Orihuela city's María Moliner Municipal Library, while assistance with applications can be found at the AEDL office in Calle Adolfo Clavarana, also in the city centre.

Despite its significant population, Orihuela Costa will not have any local training venues or support facilities. The programme kicks off with a forklift truck and elevated work platform safety course on October 26-27, followed by a bricklaying course from November 9-12, an online school dining-room supervisor course from November 19-26, and another practical course on elevated platform and basket lift operation from November 30-December 1.

It ends with a qualified-level course for plant protection products users, running from December 2-18. While one course is online, coastal residents are once again expected to travel to the city for training. Employment Promotion Councillor Víctor Valverde stated the programme would boost employability and permit over 100 trainees in various sectors.

However, the absence of courses or facilities on the coast remains unexplained. Registration is free and can be done through a dedicated website or the council and AEDL social media pages. Applicants for in-person assistance must visit the AEDL office in the city and present their DNI or NIE and DARDE unemployment registration document.

The plant protection products course is open to everyone and doesn't require a DARDE. Although the initiative offers valuable employment support, its city-centred delivery will likely continue to fuel complaints about Orihuela Costa being overlooked in municipal activities and services.