Google Colombia II

ESPAÑOL

Today, the information technology (IT) sector is booming. Companies are investing more in IT services, as the management and exchange of information have become essential to both internal and external business operations across sectors. At the same time, educators charged with teaching IT to up-and-coming workers must ensure that the material being taught reflects the constant innovations and changes in the IT sector. Colombia’s Ministry of Information and Communications (MinTIC) recently analyzed 171 IT companies across four sub-sectors (hardware, communications, software, and IT services), which were heavily concentrated in Medellín and Bogotá, and identified a rapid and constant growth in IT in these two cities –between 3 and 4 percent annually. 

However, there’s a technology workforce gap in the IT sector. In 2020, there were 36,184 job vacancies in the sector; nevertheless, only 26,017 students graduated from IT-related vocational training programs, highlighting the inadequate promotion, training, and preparation of young people to meet labor demand in the sector.

For that reason, Google.org and PriceSmart Foundation are supporting IYF and local implementing partners such as Comfenalco and Unicafam, to train 1.150 young people with technical skills (Google Career Certificates), socioemotional skills, and employability support to help them secure employment in the IT sector.

Currently, we have impacted 986 young people and completed the training of 165 participants.