Labor

Technology. According to the study “The jobs of tomorrow in Technology“, published April 4th, the financial institution advises the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to adopt information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the workplace as a way to achieve inclusive growth. It also warns that the region is lagging behind in digital matters and urges governments to implement educational policies for the development of new technological skills. The report also recommends that governments ensure companies have access to digital technology at competitive prices and incentives to invest in technologies The objective of the agency is to influence the governments of the region to adopt measures that favor digital inclusion.

The study states that the adoption of ICTs improves employee productivity, process-planning and cost reduction, which can eventually multiply the number of jobs for all tasks. Accordingly, Jorge Familiar, vice-president of the World Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: “rejecting technology out of fear of losing jobs would be a mistake. New technologies must be adopted to promote shared prosperity throughout the region. “

However, the international organization also warns that this increase in production will only result in inclusive growth so long as unskilled tasks are not replaced by machines. For this reason, it proposes that governments adopt policies that support the development of technological skills, mainly through education.

In this vein, the director of the entity for Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, Jesko Hentschel, recommended boosting educational investment through “continuous training in cognitive, analytical and socio-emotional skills that will be in high demand in the future,” and highlighted the countries of Southeast Asia as an example.

The adoption of ICTs in the region: progress and challenges

The report highlights the positive impact of the incorporation of ICTs in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, especially in manufacturing companies that increase jobs both for highly specialized and unskilled workers.

However, it warns that in Latin America and the Caribbean the adoption of ICTs is highly heterogeneous and lags behind comparable countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In this regard, they consider the implementation of policies aimed at facilitating the use of technologies and the reduction of tariffs and taxes on commercial tools based on technologies a priority.

Next steps

Although the studies published by the World Bank are not binding, its recommendations are often taken into account by national and local governments for the implementation of public policies as well as for the base of bills proposed by legislators due to the organization’s relevance.