Government promises 232,000 new jobs

PANAMA plans to create at least 232,000 jobs over the next five years, of which 68 percent will be technical positions mainly in the sectors of construction, tourism and logistics, says Minister of Labor Luis Ernesto Carles.

“We project that between 2015 and 2020, there are going to be 232,000 new jobs,” Carles told reporters.
According to official figures, the unemployment rate is 4.3 percent, but more than one third of the jobs are in the underground economy.
The minister explained that the increased demand for employment will be in the sectors of construction, logistics and modal transport, tourism and agro-industry, and pointed out that Panama faces the challenge of increasing the number of technical education students to fill these positions reports La Prensa.
“We don’t have adequate training to meet the new demands of employment,” said Carles, who said that the government intends to invest in these programs.
The Minister spoke Friday, October 31, during a meeting of the Employment High Commission which brings together employers, unions and educational officials and which is tasked with delivering a report on the issue to President Juan Carlos Varela by November 19.
In the past five years, the Panamanian government has invested some $15 billion in public works, which led to an average annual growth of 8.5 percent.
The Panama Canal, the Colón Free Zone, financial services and tourism are activities that contributed most to the gross domestic product (GDP).