Apple opened an iOS app development centre in Italy, the vendor’s first in Europe, which will give students practical skills and training for the platform.

The centre, located at a partner institution in Naples, will support teachers and provide a specialised curriculum to prepare “thousands of future developers to be part of Apple’s thriving developer community”.

Apple will also work with partners around the country who are already delivering developer training to complement its curriculum and create additional opportunities for students.

Apple expects to expand this programme to other countries around the world.

“Europe is home to some of the most creative developers in the world and we’re thrilled to be helping the next generation of entrepreneurs in Italy get the skills they need for success,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.

“The phenomenal success of the App Store is one of the driving forces behind the more than 1.4 million jobs Apple has created in Europe and presents unlimited opportunities for people of all ages and businesses of all sizes across the continent,” he added.

The App Store has helped developers in Europe earn around €10.2 billion, the company said in a statement. Italy has a vibrant developer community and around 75,000 jobs have been created because of the App Store, it added.

Earlier this month Apple said customers spent $1.1 billion on apps and in-app purchases over the Christmas and New Year period, marking the biggest ever for the App Store.