Priming Mexico’s Talent for the Digital Economy
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Priming Mexico’s Talent for the Digital Economy

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Fernando Mares By Fernando Mares | Journalist & Industry Analyst - Wed, 04/19/2023 - 12:05

As the global economy rapidly accelerates toward a digital-first model, the question of whether Mexico’s workforce is prepared for the demands of an emerging digital economy becomes increasingly critical. With the growing prevalence of automation, artificial intelligence and other technological innovations, the need for a skilled digital workforce has never been more pressing. Industry leaders consider that Mexico’s talent pipeline is not effectively prepared to compete in a digital economy. Nonetheless, Diego Olcese, CEO and Co-Founder, Crehana, said Mexico is the second Latin American country in terms of technology development with more than 70% internet penetration. This creates some interesting opportunities but also generates challenges. 

“There are two fronts when dealing with the digitalization of operations. On the first front, there is the young talent and on the second one, we have older personnel. In this sense, it is important to properly train both sides of the labor force,” said Cristina Meson, VP of HR, Heineken. She added that it is important to bring in new talent to keep the company updated, but also train the existing labor force, which is mostly comprised of older workers.

The market finds it difficult to find talent in Mexico. According to Miguel Angel Prieto, HR Global Director, Cinepolis, this talent is out there but companies are looking for the same profiles in people. Therefore, all players should contribute to accelerating this offer of prepared talent, especially regarding digital skills. 

Mexico's academic system has long been a topic of debate with critics citing a lack of investment and outdated curricula as major barriers to producing a skilled, competitive workforce. These challenges have only been exacerbated in recent years as the country seeks to adapt to the demands of an emerging digital economy. While some progress has been made in modernizing the academic system and expanding access to technology and digital tools, there is still much work to be done. Currently, only 27% of undergraduate students are enrolled in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs compared to leading countries Germany, with 40%, Russia, with 35%, as well as Austria, Greece and South Korea, each with 34%, according to a 2022 report by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness. 

However, Hernan Valcarce, VP of HR LATAM, Danone, stresses that Mexico is ahead of other leading Latin American countries like Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, which allows the country to generate a slew of opportunities. In this sense, Guadalajara is an important technological hub in the country. Nonetheless, he stressed the importance of collaboration between the private sector and the government to fully develop human capital in technological skills. 

Importantly, a disparity in skills has serious implications for the country's ability to compete in the global marketplace, particularly in industries that require a strong foundation in digital skills. At the same time, contributing only 0.3% of its GDP to science and technology R&D, Mexico has further hindered the academic system's ability to produce cutting-edge talent capable of driving innovation in the digital economy.

Due to the lack of talent trained in digital skills, consultancy companies like ManPower recommend other companies train inner talent. “We do [inner talent training] directly at ManPower. Nevertheless, we recommend clients not only look at the labor market but also inside the company and create growth and acceleration plans for workers to lead in the roles that the future will demand. Some do not require a technological background. This is why we must run those programs, to truly know if they have both hard and soft skills to work with technological tools,” said Carlos Bueso, General Director Mexico, Caribbean & Central America, ManPower.


Bueso highlighted that through internal training, companies can save costs since they can hire the required workers even if they do not necessarily meet the requirements for the positions. They are therefore hired with a lower salary, and after a month of training, they can become certified in the required skills.

The offer of a skilled labor force is not enough to enter digitalization, companies must pay attention to innovating their human resources departments. Prieto stressed how Cinepolis works closely with universities, attending job fairs and collaborating to create educational programs to train potential employees and give students a broader perspective of the labor market.

Developing these skills is important. However, experts say that companies must also consider workers' needs, as employees are now looking for a more flexible work culture and want to work for a company that contributes in some way to society. This should also be reflected in company leadership: “It may sound like a cliché but a lot of people leave their works because they do not find inspiration in their leaders,” Meson mentioned.

Photo by:   Mexico Business Publishing

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