So far this year, interest in distance education services in Central American markets has clearly increased, with Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras being the countries that have registered the greatest increases in interactions associated with the topic.
Through a system monitoring changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Shorter university degrees that focus on technical areas and the new requirements of the productive sector are some of the changes that will be part of the new reality of the education business.
In this context of radical changes caused by the covid-19 crisis, new labor trends will require the development of competencies, such as entrepreneurship, agility, adaptability and service mentality, digital skills, food, telecommuting and home-based businesses, health and hygiene, e-commerce, new distribution and logistics models, information technology and robotics.
In Central America, more than 8 million people are looking to purchase a training service online, and 5% of these consumers explore options to subscribe to cosmetology courses.
The interactive information system, developed by CentralAmericaData, monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the new commercial environment that has emerged in an accelerated manner.
For the business sector, the approval in the second debate of the draft law on dual technical education and training will make it possible to combat the worrying rise in unemployment and ensure the training of a greater number of technicians in strategic areas.
The Legislative Assembly reported on the afternoon of August 12 that with the affirmative vote of 49 deputies, the second debate was given to file N°20.786, Law of dual technical education and training, thus opening the possibility for students to perform work experience in companies and continue their studies in technical training centers.
In Costa Rica, the Legislative Assembly approved in the first debate the education project that seeks to regulate vocational technical education and training in the dual modality.
The law establishes, among other things, that the minimum conditions required in the curriculum applied by companies must be in accordance with the standard of qualification and material resources necessary to provide dual education, informed the Legislative Assembly.
In Costa Rica, businessmen and authorities signed a protocol defining concrete actions to implement and promote dual education in the country.
The protocol enables concrete actions to be formalized for the implementation and promotion of Presential-Dual Training among companies associated with the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica (CICR) and other organizations, as well as to increase training opportunities and job opportunities for social mobility, informed the industrial sector guild.
In the Central American region, the average unemployment rate for those aged between 15 and 24 is estimated to be around 11%, with lack of work experience being the main barrier to accessing the first job.
According to figures from the Central American Observatory of Social Development, Costa Rica and Panama are the countries in the region with the highest rates of youth unemployment, with 27% and 15%, respectively.
In Costa Rica, the business sector is optimistic about the positive opinion given about the dual education law initiative by the Congress commission in charge of the issue.
On November 15th, the Commission of Science, Technology and Education in the Congress approved the Dual Education Law, which has as one of its main objectives to incorporate students into the labor market.
Lack of technically skilled labour is forcing some companies to bear the cost of training their employees.
Food technology and industrial electronics courses haven arisen precisely in response to the needs of the private sector, which increasingly needs employees with technical training.This was explained to Elnuevodiario.com.ni by Berta Mayela Quintanilla, "...
In Costa Rica teachers at the National Institute who trains technicians, are preparing to teach classes on "social solidarity economy" under the concept that "private businesses have little or no critical concience about workers".
EDITORIAL
Private companies are wary of the recent inclusion of concepts related to cooperatives and unions in the educational programs at the National Institute of Learning, whose main objective is the teaching of technical skills, and whose resources come mainly, with 80%, from the private sector.
Despite its development in advanced countries, including the more established social democracies, dual education is fundamentally opposed by those who will always be threatened by any changes.
EDITORIAL
As with education unions throughout Latin America, where there is an imperative need for radical changes in education systems which are increasingly lagging behind the rest of the world, in Costa Rica the corporation of education workers is radically opposed to any changes, even those that have proven successful in countries with political systems focused on social welfare such as the European social democracies, as is dual education.
Dual education is a system which corrects the permanent discrepancy that exists between centralized education and labor supply, reducing youth unemployment and increasing the productivity of economies.
EDITORIAL
The use of professional training is the foundation for the success of Germany's productivity, and has been adopted in most European countries, with particular strength in Austria and Switzerland.
The private sector is proposing that universities develop courses at a technical level in areas such as electronics or hospitality, rather than just focusing on higher level academic degrees and diplomas.
This shift in the educational system which it is hoped will happen in universities would need to be a public-private joint effort, since, according to presidential advisor Bayardo Arce, "...
Adpoting the PISA tests as a basic tool for the management of education systems is essential if you want to push back the boundaries of underdevelopment.
EDITORIAL
It is not uncommon to hear from officials in Latin American educational corporations that the PISA assessment system is "unfair" because it compares results with those obtained in advanced countries.
Current law prevents the family businesses -most companies in the country- from making training expenses of their family member employees tax-deductible.
Members of family businesses can not take advantage of tax benefits for college expenses, postgraduate or masters degrees if they take these courses or their relatives do, even if they are an employee of the firm.
Recognized Brazilian company of backhoe loaders, telescopic, articulated and other types of cranes looking for companies interested in representing the brand and distributing their machinery in Central America and Mexico. The company manufactures and sells telescopic,...