Mexico, US Unveil Automotive Industry Memorandums, Guidelines

Mexico and the United States unveiled the "Memorandums and Recommendations for the Automotive Industry" during the High-Level Economic Dialogue (DEAN). This initiative was jointly led by Mexico's Ministries of Economy and Public Education, and the US Departments of State, Education, and Labor. The dialogue, held in June 2024, centered on advancing competency certification in the automotive sector.

Major automotive associations, including the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA) and the National Association of Bus, Truck, and Tractor Manufacturers (ANPACT), as well as companies like General Motors and PACCAR, were involved.

The dialogue’s key goals were to strengthen bilateral economic development and workforce capabilities, with a focus on collaboration between Mexican and US educational authorities. A task force was also established to coordinate future binational discussions.

Competency-based certification is seen as a pivotal factor in boosting the competitiveness and productivity of the automotive sector. Mexico has developed 68 standards and issued around 8,700 certificates in key operational areas, highlighting the partnership between CONOCER and the automotive industry, according to the document. In the United States, the Department of Education offers training programs that have provided more than one million credentials.

Looking ahead, the next steps will involve expanding the mutual recognition of certifications and developing new qualifications that are accepted in both countries. The dialogue also emphasized the value of joint certifications and the integration of soft skills into technical training programs.

The document sets a framework for continued collaboration and advocates for the creation of a working group that will unite industry stakeholders, academia, and government to promote specific actions for certifying labor competencies in the automotive sector. Participants included organizations such as Mexico’s National Council for the Standardization and Certification of Labor Competencies (CONOCER) and the National Employment Service, alongside US counterparts like the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, and the Office of Apprenticeship.