CAN sees shortage of 410,000 IT professionals by 2024
The Andean Community (Spanish: Comunidad Andina, CAN) — a trade bloc comprising Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia — is expecting a shortage of around 410,000 IT professionals by 2024.
In an interview with BNamericas, Andean Community Secretary-General Jorge Hernando Pedraza said that the actual figure could even be “much higher if we consider the accelerated pace of development and growth of technology industries.”
Pedraza stated that the pandemic reiterated “the need to be prepared for the current technological revolution that is being experienced globally.”
Colombia’s ICT minister, particularly, said that around 200,000 IT positions are likely to fall vacant by 2025.
To address this projected shortage, the Secretary-General urged governments to join hands with the private sector and academia as quickly as possible.
In a digital agenda approved in April this year, the Andean Community made it clear that it would focus on building a strong tech talent pool, promoting collaborative work platforms, and drawing more female talent to the tech sector.
Further, the trade bloc is also looking into partnering with universities and institutions in promoting programs related to the fourth industrial revolution, digital transformation, and emerging technologies, among others.
