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42 SMT007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2025 Innovation Through Collaboration IECA's strength lies in its constant interaction with the ecosystem. At its Innovation Centers—like CEDECI— the government, academia, and industry come together to anticipate needs and approve smart investments. "From identifying a need to getting funding approved and purchasing new equipment, it can all happen in under two months," Ceballos says. "That's what allows us to stay one step ahead." Thanks to this model, IECA has invested more than 130 million pesos in industry-driven training programs. Is Guanajuato Ready to Compete Globally? Guanajuato is more than just infrastructure, indus- trial parks, or demographics. It's a living ecosystem, where universities, training centers, and industries collaborate daily. "University students come to IECA for hands-on training," Ceballos says. "Some schools may have great theory but lack the industrial equipment. That's where we come in." With 47 industrial parks and IECA campuses strategically located nearby, technical educa- tion has become a key driver for attracting invest- ment. "Other states are now asking to replicate our model," Salomón adds. Not Just Skilled Hands—Skilled Minds We closed our conversation with a phrase that per- fectly captures IECA's mission: "Here in Guanajuato, we don't just train a skilled workforce," he says. "We train a skilled thinkforce, and that makes all the dif- ference." SMT007 Lorena Villanueva is director of Global Electronics Association Mexico.