In the next three years, 12,000 qualified workers will be needed to cover demand created by new hotels.
There are currently 10 hotel construction projects underway and in the next 12 months another six are expected to begin.
"This level of hotel development brings with it the same challenge now being faced by other sectors of the Panamanian economy - the availability of experienced workers, and in the case of hotels, people that speak a second language a such as English," reports Prensa.com.
In the last six months 25,000 of the 46,000 jobs lost between 2008 and 2009 have been recreated.
José Adán Aguerri, president of Nicaragua's Private Business Council (COSEP), indicated that the greatest recovery was seen in free-trade zones and in the farming and construction sectors.
The executive told Radiolaprimerisima.com that, "by the end of 2010, 10,000 additional positions are expected in free-trade zones due to the US economic recovery since large companies have renewed contracts with Nicaraguan textile exporters".
“Grupo Unidos por el Canal” (GUPC), announced it will hire 7.000 workers over the next three years to build the new set of locks.
To do so, they will organize job fairs on April and May, explained Antonio Zafarroni, head of the consortium.
He added “the group's hiring plan has a cycle that goes in line with the project’s needs. In this initial fair, we will target professionals from different areas”, reported Prensa.com.
Arguing lack of regulations, the Labor Ministry of Costa Rica has rejected requests for reducing the working day.
While Congress studied a Labor Flexibility Law project, the ministry rejected 20 requests by companies from different sectors, who solicited authorization for reducing wages and working time of their employees.
"As the new regulation has not been approved, and continues stuck at the Assembly, the ministry has started to decline requests by employers", reported Nacion.com.
63% of Panamanian companies are led by foreigners or Panamanians who studied abroad, according to Goethals Consulting.
The results of the Business Competence Index 2009 for Panama, conducted by consultants at Goethals Consulting through a survey of 200 large Panamanian companies, reveals the lack of competence of the Panamanian college system, according to Prensa.com, lawyer Ramón Barreiro, a member of the multi-disciplinary team that did the study.
Panama and Guatemala will host the fairs where companies can evaluate the new Master in Business Administration graduates.
In addition to the two Central American countries, INCAE Business School conducted two Mini Professional Talent Trade Shows (Mini FTP) in Quito, Ecuador and Lima, Peru.
The Panamanian fair will on Tuesday, June 2 and the one in Guatemala will be on Friday, June 5.
Gessa employees in Costa Rica will work one day less per month and they will see their salary reduced proportionately.
The management and employees of the administrative and logistics sector company agreed not to work the third Friday of each month in an effort to cut costs and avoid personnel layoffs.
The Ministry of Labor limited itself to verifying that 100% of employees were in agreement with the measure.
Through reform to the labor law, entrepreneurs would be able to create about 250 thousand jobs in a month.
This is what the president of the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (COHEP), Amilcar Bulnes, said if the reform would allow them to hire people part-time.
Bulnes told Tiempo.hn: "We believe this is a good alternative in order to formalize employment.
In the face of the crisis, the government hired a consultancy by the UNPD to develop a new labor policy.
The consultancy will take place over a period of three months and it will look for ways to continue to implement part-time work without ratifying Agreement 175 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Journalist Lorena Alvarez wrote in Elperiodico.com.gt: "Afterward, the proposal will be reviewed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, as well as the Tripartite Commission for Labor Affairs."
The ILO will present "Quipustat," an electronic application tool with labor market information from Latin America and the Caribbean next April 23.
The launch will take place during the "The labor statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean. Progress and Challenges in the 90 years of the ILO" forum to be held in Panama.
Proceso Digital published: "Quipustat presents information for 19 variables and labor market indicators in Latin America and the Caribbean, which in the future will expand its content with additional information on the different dimensions of the decent work agenda. It contains statistics on the labor market in 31 countries and territories in the region. The selection of indicators is based on the ILO's four strategic objectives: to maximize productive employment opportunities for men and women, ensure respect for labor rights, foster social protection and strengthen the processes and institutionality of social dialogue."
The new policy seeks to generate 200 thousand new jobs per year and it will be presented before the second half of the year.
The minister of labor, Edgar Rodríguez, stated that the measures contemplate labor flexibility.
In statements to Prensalibre.com, the official said: "It would allow companies to hire according to their necessities, therefore we see an opportunity there to create new jobs."
Experience and professional background are once again being sought in the labor market.
According to laestrella.com.pa, "Gray hairs are valuable once again," commented Pablo Bernard, country manager for Spencer Stuart. Like with Bernard, many high level personnel selection firms have started the year attending a growing demand for experienced and capable executives to deal with the difficulties that will arise during the next few months.