LDTA continues to implement the digital skills training project for the ICT and related sectors, providing companies and their employees with the latest knowledge and skills development.
On 5 November 2025, an important event took place at Riga Technical College (RTK) — members of the Latvian Computer Technology Association (LDTA) donated equipment to the newly established drone laboratory, strengthening students’ opportunities to learn and practically apply modern technologies. This initiative demonstrates the commitment of industry companies and professionals to invest in the development of technical education in Latvia and to create a closer connection between industry and the educational environment.
The drone laboratory will give students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice, develop engineering and programming skills, and foster interest in the high-tech sector. The donation ceremony was attended by LDTA Chairman Dzintars Zariņš, Ivars Putniņš, a representative of member company “Capital”, as well as RTK management, teachers, and students — together marking a moment that symbolizes the synergy between the technology sector and education.
Riga Technical College, founded in 1935 on the basis of the State Electrotechnical Factory (VEF) Vocational School, is today one of Latvia’s leading technical education institutions. More than 1,800 learners study there, and the college offers eight short-cycle higher professional education programs and thirteen secondary professional education programs. Many specialists and managers from LDTA member companies have begun their careers at this college, which is why cooperation between RTK and LDTA is a natural continuation of their long-standing professional relationship.
“Thank you to the members of the Latvian Computer Technology Association for their support and contribution to the development of the STEM interest education program ‘Operation and Maintenance of Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’. This donation will provide students with the opportunity to understand the structure, use cases, conditions, and limitations of multirotor UAVs. Students will learn to carry out maintenance, repairs, and piloting of multirotor UAVs in various modes. In my view, such initiatives bring educational institutions, the learning environment, and the latest technologies closer together, in line with industry development trends. In the field of vocational education, it is crucial to maintain continuous cooperation with industry associations and employers, as this ensures improvements in education quality and keeps its content aligned with the growing needs of the national economy and technological development trends,” emphasizes Rūta Gintaute-Marihina, Director of Riga Technical College.
This project demonstrates a shared goal — to build a strong foundation for the growth of new engineers and technology specialists, while strengthening collaboration between the education sector and Latvia’s technology industry.
Interview participant:
Arturs TarandaChairman of the Board, SOCIAL.TECH Ltd.
What is the scope, specialization, and main clients of SOCIAL.TECH Ltd.?
My name is Arturs Taranda. I am the Chairman of the Board at SOCIAL.TECH Ltd. Previously, I was the head of the IT department in a large logistics company. As the IT department manager, together with my team, we built systems to optimize processes and increase internal efficiency.
After that, I chose to start my own company and create products for Latvian businesses — primarily small and medium-sized enterprises. I decided to focus specifically on two areas: mobile application development and business management system development.
We create products tailored to the client’s unique business processes. These systems are designed so that the client is not dependent on large, pre-built business systems. When a system is large and ready-made, it comes preconfigured, making it difficult to change individual processes or implement custom modifications. Moreover, implementing complex large systems often requires a larger IT department, manuals, and additional resources to integrate and operate them.
Our approach is different — we analyze a company’s processes and develop systems that are not overly complicated but meet the company’s needs. In the long run, this approach proves more advantageous for the client than purchasing licenses or deploying off-the-shelf products. The biggest benefit is that the client can change processes at any time, and we can adjust the system, modify logic, add modules, or make other changes as needed.
Regarding mobile applications — having one is standard for a company to be “in every client’s pocket.” We believe this will be one of the trends in 2026, as digitalization is rapidly advancing. Almost every company will need mobile applications and tools to digitize infrastructure, manage internal processes, increase efficiency, and reduce reliance on human resources. This allows department managers and company leaders to make fast decisions, manage data, and access it anytime through a clear management dashboard.
How would you assess the pace of digital transformation in Latvian companies?
When talking about business pace, I would divide companies into three segments: large, medium, and small.
Large companies are developing very rapidly. They understand why digitalization is important, what efficiency means, and how numbers are reflected in company performance indicators. Here, it’s all about money — the more you invest now, the more you save in the future. Of course, competitiveness among large companies also plays a significant role.
Medium-sized companies develop at varying speeds, largely depending on available financial resources. In this context, the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) provides valuable support.
Small companies face a more complex situation. Many still use Excel databases. These companies primarily focus on business growth, and digitalization is often not a priority. Therefore, this segment may need additional support to digitalize their processes more efficiently and become more productive.
What would be your recommendations for Latvian companies looking to digitalize and automate internal processes?
First, the company must make a decision that digitalization is necessary and that it is a strategic development direction. Then, two paths are possible — either develop solutions and ideas internally and come to us with a ready-made plan, or come to us, explain your processes, and we will analyze them together, conduct an audit, and improve efficiency. We will advise where artificial intelligence can be implemented, what systems to develop, and the benefits they will bring, including cost savings.
Of course, the entrepreneur can also create their own vision for implementing digitalization. In this case, the added value is that they gain a better understanding of which processes work or do not work in the company, and future collaboration will be more effective, with easier communication with those implementing the processes. In any case, company involvement in the processes is critically important, as no one knows the company’s processes, nuances, and hidden factors better than the company itself.
How does the rapid development of AI, automation, and data analytics solutions affect SOCIAL.TECH and industry professions overall?
The development is very rapid. From the client’s perspective, one of the main topics is artificial intelligence and data storage (data warehousing). Everyone is interested, and everyone wants to implement solutions in their company. The demand is very high.
Artificial intelligence significantly simplifies daily processes and saves time. There are AI tools that allow creating personalized agents, automating processes, generating code, and much more.
Therefore, I recommend that every company and management team dedicate time to consider how digitalization and artificial intelligence can improve company efficiency and processes.
On 5 June 2025, the European Commission, together with Kaja Kallas, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Commission Vice-President, published a joint communication on the new “International Digital Strategy.” She stated:
“Europe has enormous potential to expand its geopolitical influence in digital matters, and today we set out a clear vision on how to achieve it. We are ready to work more closely with partners on shared digital challenges, while preserving individual rights and freedoms, which are essential for effective global digital governance.”
Source: cyprus.representation.ec.europa.eu
Digital tools for integrated management quality systems
Jānis Baltačs
Course Content:
Latvian Computer Technology Association
Offers a training project“ICT and Related Sectors Digital Skills Training Project”Project No. 2.3.1.2.i.0/2/23/A/CFLA/001Project implementation until 30 June 2026Registration for new training sessions in the project is open until 30 April 2026.Please apply by sending an information request to apmacibas@itnet.lv
The project’s investment goal is to provide micro, small, medium, and large companies registered in the Republic of Latvia with basic skills in digitalization, robotics, and automation, digital transformation and digital innovations — including skills that support export promotion, high-level digital governance skills at the management level, and skills for using digital technologies in various business processes.
The project is implemented with financial support from the European Union Recovery Fund.The project’s initial total eligible costs are EUR 1,134,000, including planned Recovery Fund support of EUR 567,000.
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the European Union or the European Commission.Neither the European Union nor the European Commission is responsible for them.