Companies will require more people trained in Stem careers such as programming and creating ‘software’.
Knowledge in science, technologies, cloud computing, databases, data analysis, artificial intelligence, robotics, design and creation of video games, programming and web development, machine learning, mobile application design, cybersecurity, analysis of systems, software development, computer engineering among others will be some of the most demanded by companies.
A study of IT Talent, that is to say, of Information Technologies of the firm Page Group, refers that companies are looking for more personnel specialized in science and technology careers.
Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which indicates that by 2025, 3.5 million professionals specialized in STEM careers will be needed in Latin America, that is, with knowledge of science, technology, art, engineering, physics, and mathematics, among others. others.
It is also indicated that by 2030, 80% of jobs will be replaced by these profiles, which includes Software Engineering, Electronics, Mechanics and Mechatronics, among others.
Given this perspective, the page Group study indicates that many companies are accelerating their digital transformation and therefore demand more specialized personnel. At the end of 2022, 40% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Latin America was digitized.
It is argued that in Panama, for example, these transformation processes are still in a growth stage and it is estimated that at least 60% of the companies in the country are investing in digitization and technological transformation.
When carrying out digital transformation and acquiring new technologies for processes, companies encounter an obstacle, a lack of qualified personnel.
The digital transformation of companies demands more personnel trained in information technologies such as programming languages. Pixabay
The page Group report cites that the number of professionals graduated in STEM versus the employability potential and the current workforce in technology shows the need to graduate more talent of this type in Latin America, since despite the fact that in markets such as Colombia In Mexico, Brazil and Costa Rica, the number of graduates in science and technology careers is greater than the employability capacity of these profiles in their capital cities; secondary cities that increase demand must be taken into account.
In 2021, 7,244 people graduated in STEM in Panama, this represents 4% of the total number of graduates in the country.
“In the STEM context, salary becomes more relevant in talent retention, since companies seek to implement strategies that enhance innovation and efficiency. In this sense, organizations are customizing the emotional salary according to the motivations of their employees to avoid excessive turnover”, said Hansel Martin, Associate Manager Michael Page IT, Digital & eCommerce.
It indicates that the most demanded positions in Latin America are programming specialists who work on platforms and open source software such as .NET, and who know the programming language and develop products with Java, Python, NodeJS, and JavaScript, among other tools and programs. which in turn serve to develop functions such as machine learning, applications, web pages, create automated systems of functions among an endless number of digital tools.
Despite the growing demand for information technology personnel in the region, salaries are below those of the United States in Latin America. Pixabay
Page Group experts report that the demand for STEM professionals in Latin America will continue to increase, which means a great opportunity for the development of talent and technology in the region.
“Latin America has long been a major source of tech talent for North America, initially focused on manufacturing and business services. The region’s technological talent has increasingly focused on the development and innovation of software. This has attracted many multinational technology companies, as well as further developing the technology industry itself in Latin America. Some of the main keys to understanding development in the region are: the accelerated transformation of trends and situations, which they had predicted would take many years and are only taking months in some cases”, comments Hansel Martin.
It indicates that over the past five years, the Information Technology (IT) workforce in the region has grown twice as fast as in the United States. “Despite this, average wages in Latin America are still a third of those in the United States. The largest IT talent markets are São Paulo, Mexico City and Santiago, while the fastest growing is Bogotá. Central America ranks as the region with the lowest number of STEM professionals”.
