In the last year, Costa Rica significantly improved its level of English language proficiency, while the rest of Central America made no significant progress.
The global English language company Education First published its 2018 report, which defines five levels of language proficiency in 88 countries around the world by calculating an index called "English Proficiency Index".
According to Education First's English Proficiency Index, Costa Rica and El Salvador have not been able to raise their level of proficiency in the last five years, while Panama and Guatemala, which in 2014 and 2015 did improve their performance, fell in 2016 to the "Very low" level.
The index published each year by Global Education First defines three levels of language proficiency in 72 countries around the world.In the world rankings, Costa Rica,Guatemala, Panama and El Salvador ranked 38, 53, 50 and 63, respectively.
For the sixth time since 2013 a six month extension has been granted to the suspension on the levying of fines on companies that hire undocumented foreign labor for activities such as agricultural harvesting.
The government announced that in January 2017 it issued a new extension to avoid levying fines on companies in the agricultural sector that employ undocumented foreign workers during the harvest season.
The Automotive Mechanics course has been selected to be part of the first pilot plan to implement a dual education system in 2017, in four technical schools in the country.
The Vocational College of Arts and Crafts (Covão) in Cartago as well as the Technical Professional Colleges (CTP in Spanish) Monsignor Sanabria, in Desamparados, Carlos Manuel Vicente in Golfito, and Jesus Ocaña in Alajuela, are the institutions which will be implementing the pilot dual education plan in 2017.
In Panama four out of ten companies failed to find the ideal candidates when they needed them.
Data from Manpower reveals that worldwide the talent shortage is around 40%, in Colombia it is 50% and in Panama 36%.Monica Flores, president of the group for the region, said that"...
Seven out of ten entrepreneurs in Costa Rica would be willing to implement training programs for young people in the academic-work placement format.
A statement from the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of Private Enterprises (UCCAEP) notes that"...72% of employers would be interested in launching training programs under the dual mode and 83% said they already have accepted into their businesses students or trainees for internships or professional work experience."
According to the English Proficiency Index produced by Education First, Guatemala and Panama have improved, moving from the "very low" group to the "low" group, while Costa Rica and El Salvador remain stagnant at that level.
The index, which the global English teaching business Education First publishes annually, defines three levels of proficiency in 70 countries worldwide.
Cities far away from the capital which have free zone regimes, labor and are close to ports, are becoming attractive places for businesses.
The characteristics of the so-called "emerging cities" outside of the greater metropolitan area, are mainly being exploited by multinational companies who want to operate under free zone schemes and near port terminals and areas with good road access.
The communication and technology sector predicts that for the next two years it will hire more technical staff and university graduates than licensed professionals with master's degrees or doctorates.
The need for staff with technical rather than academic skills continues to grow in the field of technology and communications. A study by the Chamber of Information Technology and Communication concludes that only 2% of companies in the technology sector in the country plan to hire professionals with a PhD, while only 32% said they expected to hire graduates.
Companies are struggling to find employees with skills in information technology, programming and networking, electricity, processing and assembly of medical parts.
The Talent Shortage study (2014) by Manpower notes that "... 51% of the 620 Costa Rican employers surveyed said they can not find suitable professionals to perform the tasks required by their company." The main cause, according to the contractors, is lack of technical skills.
The unemployment rate now reaches 10% in a population where 60% of workers have not completed high school, but teachers refuse to be evaluated on their ability in subjects they teach.
EDITORIAL
An article in Nacion.com cites statements by Victor Morales, Minister of Labour, on the rising unemployment levels in Costa Rica: "...There is a mismatch between supply and demand in the corporate sector. There is a demand for skilled technicians; but most of the Costa Rican labor force is unskilled. 60% have not finished high school; it is a national drama. "
Projections are that for the five year period between 2015-2020 there will be a shortfall of 70,000 workers in the sectors of construction, logistics, tourism and agriculture.
According to the National Competitiveness Center, in the specified period there will be a shortage of workers especially in the logistics sector, where they will need at least 35,000 technicians, ie 49.5%, while in the construction area demand will be for around 28,000 people, representing 40.3%. In the case of the tourism sector it is estimated that it will require approximately 4,113 technicians, ie 5.7% and in agriculture about 3,203, the remaining 4.5%.
According to Education First's English Proficiency Index, in Costa Rica the English level is low, while in Guatemala, Panama and El Salvador it is very low.
Out of the 63 countries surveyed in the English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), Costa Rica ranks 43, Guatemala is No. 51, followed by Panama in position 52 and El Salvador in 53.
Companies recognize how important managing a growing international and mobile workforce is for the future of their businesses, but they do not know how to do it.
Companies do not have an appropriate strategy to deal with the transformation that is happening the way of working in the world -from the convergence of five generations to operations spread across the planet- which will lead to a crisis in management, attraction and retention of talent, concludes the Workforce 2020 study, prepared by Oxford Economics and SAP.
Investments by Costa Rican companies in their neighboring country went from $2.43 million in 2010 to $67.7 million in 2013.
Installation of production facilities, maquila subcontracts or transfer of part of the production process are part of the investment models that Costa Rican businessmen are utilizing in order to minimize the negative effects of the high production costs prevalent in Costa Rica and to stay competitive at the level international.
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,...