The IT and hydrocarbons industry drove employment figures

 

 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that this year the local economy will grow 3.61%. But to achieve this, one of the drivers that must be activated, without a doubt, is employment. The most recent data, revealed by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane), indicates that by the end of November the rate stood at 8.81%. As a result, the employed population reached 22.46 million and the unemployed population stood at 2.15 million.

Recruitment firms such as PageGroup, Adecco, and Hays, and outsourcing hiring firms like Grupo AccionPlus, who constantly analyze how employability will behave year after year, agree that the technology and hydrocarbons industries will be responsible for boosting employment figures in 2019.

“From PageGroup, we project that the macroeconomic trend of the second half of 2018 will continue into the beginning of this year, maintaining dollar and Brent prices at reasonable levels and driving hiring in specific sectors such as IT and digital markets; oil and gas; and agro-industry,” explained Beltrán Benjumea, managing director of PageGroup Colombia.

The spokesperson specified that in the case of the technology industry, the demand for qualified and specialized labor in new technologies will remain, as well as the investment from various sectors in digital transformation, which will require seeking talent. In hydrocarbons, with an oil price above US$60, investment in onshore and offshore exploration will resume. For this, specialized engineers in crude production and exploration will be needed. Meanwhile, in agro-industry, considering the greater professionalization the sector is experiencing, there will be a higher demand for qualified jobs to increase exports and the production of medicinal cannabis.

“From PageGroup, we also continue to see a significant rise in the temporary hiring of specialized personnel, at all levels of the organization, for specific projects with a limited duration,” added Benjumea.

In the case of Adecco, the manager of the Permanent Placement Unit, Daniel Parra, said that their focus is on IT, pharmaceuticals, services, hydrocarbons, and mass consumption.

“IT will be one of the most impactful due to the rise of technology in the region and the digital market, which has increased the number of vacancies. The pharmaceutical sector continues to generate opportunities thanks to the arrival of new companies and the notable growth of the national market. Another is services, which will be a protagonist of new investments in its usual growth,” indicated Parra.

The executive added that this year, there is also an expectation of a reactivation of the hydrocarbons sector that will generate jobs for operational and leadership positions for project execution; while, in the case of mass consumption, after the electoral uncertainty of 2018, investments will be activated, plants will be expanded, and work teams will be increased.

Hays was also part of the same survey, which indicated that, although it has already identified which sectors will leverage the growth of 3.6% for the national economy, the country is already preparing for a positive future, in which political and economic circumstances have positioned it within an attractive performance framework at both national and international levels.

“With the reactivation of the oil and gas sector, the growth of agro-industry, the importance of adapting the ICT sector within business strategies, and the strengthening of digital commerce and technologies for the financial industry, the country's economy has the opportunity to take a positive turn, positioning it as a focal point in Latin America for the arrival of multinationals,” said Ramiro Bado, director at Hays in Colombia.

Regarding agro-industry, investments in technology and talent to position the sector globally will also drive growth. Here, companies are increasingly implementing technology and demanding more in labor terms. The market will require increasingly specialized technical and cultivation positions in research. At the same time, knowledge of national and international regulations will be needed to address new markets.

In technology, the strengthening of digital channels, for example, has led companies to adapt their business strategies, demanding new specialized talent with operational, technical, and strategic knowledge.

Finally, in e-commerce and the fintech industry, it is expected that this year the regulation created by the National Government will allow for a deeper understanding of the sector's demands and develop clear rules for its operation. Thus, it is no longer just about having a high knowledge of technology, but understanding that the business focus must aim to be fully digital.

The bets of AccionPlus in 2019

Just like the headhunting firms operating in the country, the outsourcing recruitment company Grupo AccionPlus, one of the largest employers in the local market, also made its bets in terms of employability for this year. The director of efficiency and productivity of the holding, Juan Felipe Palacios, indicated that the sectors that will drive employment are three: oil and gas, the financial services industry, and retail. “In these, the highest growth is expected for this year, estimated between 6% and 9%, surpassing the overall growth that would be around 3%,” the spokesperson indicated.