Over the past years, Latin America has experienced a In Peru, this transformation has placed the country in a critical position: we are witnesses to the immense potential of technology, but also to the barriers we face in fully leveraging it. One of the biggest obstacles? The shortage of specialized and skilled talent.
The International Labour Organization projects that in 2025, Peru will need 80,000 technology professionals. Meanwhile, the 2024 Talent Shortage Survey by ManpowerGroup tells us that 65% of Peruvian employers struggle to find candidates with the necessary skills for vacant positions in various sectors, including technology. While this paradox of scarcity between the supply and demand of professionals persists, the sector's growth continues, highlighting the urgent need to prepare our workforce for future challenges.
From our experience as leaders in the IT industry, we believe it is necessary to implement programs that include strategic alliances with universities and technical institutes for new talent, and specific training programs for employees to promote educate and promote existing talent. For example, the Peruvian government established the National Digital Talent Platform, which aims to foster training in technological skills. These efforts seek to bridge the talent gap and prepare professionals to lead in a world where innovation and agility are essential.
If the predictions come to pass, talent shortage threatens the competitiveness of companies and the country’s economic development, especially in the data center subsector, which is at the heart of digitalization in the country. These spaces not only enable the continuity of operations in key sectors such as telecommunications and financial services but are also critical for enabling the sustainable growth of the digital economy.
Training talent to manage these critical environments is no easy task. The current lack of specialized educational programs and the disconnect between academia and the needs of the labor market limit the development of technical skills in areas like IT management, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure maintenance. But as universities and other educators identify the needs and establish training programs, this gap should not be an insurmountable obstacle. We should see this as a unique opportunity to invest in the future of the country and the technology industry.
Initiatives such as the National Digital Talent program mentioned above show that it is possible to change the predicted shortages through joint efforts and a clear vision. If we manage to strengthen local capabilities, we could position Peru not only as a participant but as a leader in the region.
We know that the demand for technological talent in Peru continues to grow, especially in critical areas such as storage and backup, projects, and digitalization. Therefore, to invest in national talent, all institutions must renew their training and skill development policies. This way, we contribute to ensuring business continuity in the country and the region.
