The Number of Panama Public Employees Increased Yet Job losses in the Private Sector Intensified
René Quevedo pictured above, business consultant, diagnosed Panama’s labor market. The labor market is in crisis, and the main victims are young people, who are unable to find jobs, warned business consultant René Quevedo during his speech. “The process of precarious employment and nationalization has been the most savage in our history”. Only one in three university graduates have found employment, and young people have been the hardest hit by informality, lack of investment, and loss of confidence, warned business consultant René Quevedo. Employment Forum 2025 is all about promoting opportunities for a country in transformation. The challenges and scope of the labor market in Panama will be analyzed Wednesday July 30th 2025.
To Reactivate Employment in Construction Capac Advocates for Greater Investment and Technical Training
Pictured above, Alejandro Ferrer, president of the Panamanian Chamber of Construction (Capac). The construction sector remains one of the country’s main economic drivers. However, activity has slowed in the last year, necessitating urgent measures to reactivate it as a source of sustainable employment. Ferrer emphasized that the industry currently represents 14.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and in years of high growth, such as during the Canal expansion in 2009, it has surpassed 18%. In the last three years, the sector has generated 42% of new jobs in the first quarters of the year.
Construction generates 14.8% of GDP and has provided 42% of new jobs in the first quarter. Alejandro Ferrer, president of the Panamanian Chamber of Construction, proposes more public investment, technical training, and institutional confidence to reactivate a key sector for the Panamanian economy.
