Much is said about "new skills for work". They are the ones employers look for in everchanging industries and get updated almost at the same rate as our smartphones get updated. That was the metaphor that a colleague at IDB's Labor Markets Division used when he invited me to think about workers' skills development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The way we work in the … [Read more...] about Job Skills: What Are They and Which Ones Are Most in Demand?
What is green employment and how is it changing the labor market?
Climate change is one of humanity’s greatest challenges and is driving the entire world towards economic transformation. We believe that Latin America and the Caribbean can be part of the solution to the challenges associated with climate change at the global level. Our region is a leader in nature and biodiversity: 30% of its energy comes from … [Read more...] about What is green employment and how is it changing the labor market?
Skills for Work: Boosting Development and Productivity
It’s been proven that an efficient response of the workforce to the human capital needs of the economy boosts labor productivity and, as a consequence, economic growth. People with the right skills have better opportunities to access high-quality jobs, improve their earnings and enhance their quality of life and that of their families. Employers require workers with … [Read more...] about Skills for Work: Boosting Development and Productivity
Skills: The New Push to Attract Investment
Countries worldwide all vie to attract inward investment based on their competitive and comparative advantages in various sectors. Few countries stand out however in how they use skills as a key incentive to get foreign direct investment – Singapore and Ireland for example. Developing countries, however, tend to focus their efforts mainly on “creating” an ecosystem that appeals … [Read more...] about Skills: The New Push to Attract Investment
Is it possible to establish a fair retirement age? What the world experience says
The aging process of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean will only accelerate in the coming decades. We will need to revise the retirement age in our countries in line with demographic change to guarantee reasonable retirement amounts and the financial sustainability of pensions. Raising retirement age allows us to broaden the contribution base and, at the … [Read more...] about Is it possible to establish a fair retirement age? What the world experience says