Digital transformation is also modifying the geography of technological employment in Spain. Although Madrid and Barcelona continue to concentrate most of the activity linked to the sector, the growth of certain infrastructures and the demand for new specialized profiles are favoring the emergence of emerging hubs in other cities.
Although territorial concentration (both of technology and employment derived from other sectors) remains a characteristic, and a deficiency, of the Spanish labor market, the research presented in the report Radiography of Emerging Jobs and Sectors 2026, prepared by DigitalES, detects relevant movements in different territories driven by sectors such as data centers, cloud services, or cybersecurity.
According to the analysis, several cities are beginning to stand out due to the growth of job offers linked to these activities, shaping a more diverse technological map than existed just a few years ago.
Madrid and Barcelona maintain leadership
The report indicates that the concentration of technological employment in large urban centers continues to be very high. Madrid and Barcelona continue to act as the main centers of attraction for companies, investments, and specialized professionals.
The availability of talent, the presence of large technology companies, and the business ecosystem developed over years explain why both cities maintain a dominant position in a large part of digital activities.
However, DigitalES observes an evolution that is beginning to partially modify this scenario. And one of the most notable phenomena in the report is the growth associated with digital infrastructures: job offers linked to data centers grew by 75% in the last two years, reflecting their increasing weight within the digital economy.
The expansion of artificial intelligence, the increase in data processing, and the digitalization of companies and administrations are increasing the need for facilities capable of storing, managing, and processing large volumes of information, and this contributes to generating economic activity and specialized employment outside traditional hubs.
The report particularly highlights the performance of cities and provinces that are attracting investments in this area and are beginning to position themselves within the national technological ecosystem.
Murcia, Málaga, Zaragoza and Almería Gain Prominence
Among the territories that DigitalES identifies as particularly dynamic are Murcia, Zaragoza, Málaga, and Almería.
These areas are registering significant growth in activities related to the cloud, data centers, and other advanced technological services. The report considers that this behavior reflects a trend of expansion of certain digital activities towards territories that until now had a more limited weight within the national technology sector.
The improvement of connectivity infrastructures, the availability of land for large technological projects, and the interest of international companies in new locations are among the factors favoring this process.
Cybersecurity
Along with the growth of cloud and data centers, cybersecurity emerges as another area with the greatest capacity for job creation; in fact, the demand for knowledge related to digital security is extending to sectors that traditionally were not among the main consumers of technological talent.
Offers related to cybersecurity skills grew by 69% in customer service activities, 68% in the legal field, and 55% in education and training.
For DigitalES, this evolution reflects how the protection of systems, data, and infrastructures is becoming a transversal necessity for organizations of very different natures.
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The result is a labor market where technological employment continues to be concentrated in the large traditional hubs, but in which new growth areas are beginning to consolidate, driven by strategic digital infrastructures and the growing need for specialists in areas such as cloud, data, and IT security.