MEXICO CITY, Leaders of the digital sector, education institutions, and policymakers have called for joint efforts to grow the digital talent pool in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in the aftermath of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The lack of connectivity and the shortage of well-prepared people to work in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector are two of the challenges in the region,” said Huawei, a leading global provider of ICT infrastructure and smart devices.
In a statement, it said these are part of the conclusions from the first LAC Talent Summit, held here, organized jointly by Huawei, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the EFE news agency, with the support of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
“Our work in Latin America and the Caribbean, for Latin America and the Caribbean consists of supporting the deployment of connection networks, providing cutting-edge and environmentally friendly technologies, and also putting our knowledge and skills at the service of communities to train digital talents and bridge the gaps,” said Michael Xue, vice president at Huawei Latin America and the Caribbean.
During discussions, participants addressed topics such as the accelerating digital transformation, the labor market for ICT professionals, and the challenges the countries face to meet the demand for qualified personnel and digital skills.
Huawei pointed to research findings by international consultancy IDC that showed that Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to see a demand for an additional 2.5 million ICT-related professionals by 2026, compared with the current pool of 6.3 million.
“The COVID-19 pandemic made clear the urgent need to close the digital gap and to make digital content, technology, and connectivity available to all,” said Claudia Uribe, director of the Regional Office of Education for America Latina and Caribe of UNESCO (OREALC).
Harold Price, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Leonard N. Stern Business School, New York University, Arun Sundararajan, said, “digital technologies are set to transform work in the coming decades, leading to radical changes in the demand for talent.
“Two education policy imperatives will be key. We need to create ‘scaffolding’ for the talent to reach the global market by creating gateways that allow the talent of varying skill levels to access platforms of opportunity.
“We also need educational systems that focus on occupation transition for workers who will be displaced by automation. The global focus of the 20th century was on early-career college; the need for 21st-century focus is on mid-career transition.”
The conference was attended by an estimated 100 experts and 150 students from Latin America and the Caribbean. It also discussed formulas to enhance the action of each part of the digital ecosystem by adding individual efforts toward the same goal.
Huawei said it had launched a number of talent initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean, helping train 50,000 talents in recent years.
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