It is estimated that between 2015 and 2020, Panama will need to hire around 68,000 employees with technical specialties, and the logistics sector will be the leader in the demand.
According to a labor market study carried out by the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel), estimates for from demand companiesfor technical personnel is high, with the logistics, industry, tourism, agriculture and construction sectors being those that most need staff with these capabilities.
There is still a shortage of workers with the skills and technical training needed to work in several sectors, ranging from agriculture to telecommunications.
Workers with skills to not only operate but also repair specialized farm machinery, and even to train people in the operation of specialized software are what companies have been unable to find in different sectors in Nicaragua.Despite efforts, some even made byvarious private companies, to fund studies and train their employeesso that they can acquire the necessary skills, there remains a significant gap between labor supply and demand in the country.
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"... 'we have overvalued degrees and university titles, when what is needed today are professionals and specialised technicians'."
The private sector claims that it is not enough to invest $10 million in the construction of a technical school if the academic programs are not developed considering the staffing needs of the productive sectors.
The problem of a shortage of technically skilled labor in Panamanian companies will not be resolved if educational programs do not take as a starting point the demands of the productive sector.
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%.
The HKND dealership has announced that it requires 50,000 domestic workers for the project and that the more specialized positions will be filled by Chinese professionals.
In a presentation on the project to the representatives of trade unions in the country, the Chinese company HKND noted that "...
With the training of 8000 construction workers the guild seeks to improve the quality of the workforce and prepare to meet the demand from projects announced by the government and private industry.
The worker training sessions will be conducted jointly by the Nicaraguan Chamber of Construction (NCC) and the Technological Institute (Inatec), and will begin with the training of 8000 workers over a period of 4 months.
In Costa Rica a proposal has been made to implement free zone regimes linked to universities with internship programs in companies.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica plans to implement free zone models in Guanacaste linked to universities such as the Earth and Invenio Universities, both located in areas which are far away from the greater metropolitan area. The plan by Minister Alexander Mora is to promote the attraction of investment in these areas offering the benefits of a free trade area linked to access to skilled labor.
There has been a rise in the number of firms reporting difficulties in recruiting qualified staff, especially technicians, engineers and sales managers.
In one year the number of companies who said they found it difficult to fill vacancies grew by 11%, according to figures from a survey carried out by the human resources firm Manpower, which states that "... five out of 10 employers looking for talent have had difficulties filling vacancies in 2014. "
A lack of specialized technical personnel in manufacturing is raising business costs and reducing productivity.
The lack of staff qualified to repair machinery is not only raising costs but is also creating additional delays, causing a decrease in customers and jeopardizing business continuity. It is estimated that the poor repair of machines makes operating costs of enterprises up to 20% more expensive.
Panamanians are not interested in technical careers but rather social ones, as reflected by the short supply of professionals to meet the needs of the industry.
This issue was discussed during the forum 'maritime sector and the impact of human resources in its development ", organized by the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP by its initials in Spanish). According to the Director of Planning of the UMIP, Fernanda Billard, opportunities exist for technical training and supplying the workforce, but these have not been taken up by Panamanians.
Facing a lack of specialized technicians, representatives from private companies are motivating students to train in technical careers and foster the development of new specialties.
Given the need for technical personnel in the province of Alajuela, businesses from the free zone area El Coyol, held a meeting with senior students encouraging them to train in the technical specialties necessary for the productive sector.
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