Mexico’s Youth Employment Program Expands

Mexico’s Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro program, which helps young people gain job skills and access the labor market, will add 65,000 new training slots starting on Oct. 1.

“Seven out of 10 young participants complete their training successfully and join the workforce,” says Marath Bolaños, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare. 

Launched in 2019, the program targets young people between 18 and 29 who are not studying or working at the time. It partners participants with nearly 658,000 workplaces, including companies, workshops, and retail businesses, offering a one-year training period. Women account for 58% of participants overall, with 60% in 2025. The program provides financial support equivalent to the minimum wage — MX$8,480 (US$463) per month — through a Bank of Welfare card and enrollment in the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).

The initiative was constitutionally recognized in April 2025 under Article 123, ensuring its continuity as a government-backed social policy. Bolaños highlights that the program represents a seven-year social investment of MX$150 billion, compared with only MX$6.7 billion spent on youth-focused initiatives during the previous 36 years.

The program prioritizes young people living in high-poverty or high-crime areas, aiming to improve their employment prospects. According to the 2024 National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure, participants are 2.5 times more likely to find employment and have a 43.2% higher chance of entering the labor market compared with nonparticipants.

The government attributes part of its broader social policy success to the program. Bolaños says that poverty in Mexico has declined by 12.3% over six years, lifting 13.4 million people out of poverty.

The program operates thanks to the collaboration between the government and workplaces, offering practical training and financial support to young Mexicans while promoting labor market integration.