It is not surprising that with a sub 5% unemployment rate and a growth rate of over 8% on average, Panama is suffering from a shortage of skilled labor.
Panama is near the top of the list of countries where there is the most acute shortage of skilled labor. Guatemala and Costa Rica are located in the middle of the table. In the Canal country, 47% of employers said they have difficulties in filling jobs with the right people. In Guatemala this percentage is 36%, and in Costa Rica it is 35%.
The Manpower report identifies the key strategies cited by respondents, to overcome the problem:
Employers were asked what strategies they implemented in order to overcome the difficulty of filling positions. Responses varied widely, from providing additional training to current staff and improving compensation to forming partnerships with educational institutions in order to provide candidates with the essential skills that organizations cannot provide alone. However their answers clearly pointed to a need for solutions to help them close the skills disabling specific efforts to promote their organizations. In addition, the percentage of employers who have adopted three main strategies to overcome the problems of lack of talent, increased from last year and suggests that more companies have not started doing anything, because of the crisis.
Tom,
Do you have available to you a list of the skilled positions that are in demand, and represent a shortage?
Regards,
Michael
So…..what kind of specialized talent are they looking for? I know there are plenty of us
out there that would love to be able to get a job while living in Panama. Why don’t they
advertise for expats who could get a working visa to come aid them in their search?
Tom, I have read often about the labor shortages in Panama, but very little as to how to connect with these openings. I am close to retirement age but will not be able to retire without some income. Living in a place like Panama is very appealing and if I can get work there I could become one of the many US citizens living overseas. How do I find out what jobs and skills are needed and where to connect with them?