Punta Cana is the site for the largest event on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal and Cape Verde from 4 to 6 October 2023. In addition to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the event is hosted by the Technical Formation Institute (Infotep), the largest vocational training center in the Caribbean that is headquartered in Santo Domingo.
President Luis Abinader was present for the opening of the 46th Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, on 4 October 2023 at the Hard Rock hotel & Casino in Punta Cana.
He highlighted that unemployment in the Dominican Republic is at a low 4.7%. He understands that 34% of the new jobs created were entry-level jobs for young people.
The President highlighted that the theme of the conference, “Vocational Training as an axis of Economic and Social Development” is of particular importance for the economic and social development agenda of the Dominican Republic.
Abinader assumed his share of responsibility in the tripartite commitment to promote quality learning, through the Technical Professional Training Institute (Infotep), and the polytechnic high schools of the public education system.
Minister of Labor Luis Miguel De Camps explained that this Meeting of the ILO / Cintefor Technical Committee offers a unique opportunity to exchange experiences, knowledge and best practices between the region’s countries. “It is a favorable space to analyze the challenges and opportunities we face in professional technical training, as well as to design joint strategies that allow us to move towards a future of greater prosperity and equity,” said De Camps. For the Minister of Labor, professional technical training must be constantly evolving, adapting to technological changes and the demands of the labor market. He called for seeking innovative solutions that promote the acquisition of relevant and updated skills.
Likewise, the director-general of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Gilbert F. Houngbo, argued that skills development and lifelong learning are essential to ensure that workers thrive and keep pace with constant change. He said those aspects are also essential to creating resilience in companies, labor markets and workers in the Americas.
“We are witnessing an unprecedented deepening of inequalities within and between countries; an increase in working poverty; absence of social protection for four billion people; and a significant challenges for youth employment and the sustainability of formal companies, and a risk of informalization of the formal economy,” said Houngbo.
Meanwhile, the general director of Infotep, Rafael Santos Badía, stated that Infotep is changing to adapt to the demands of the fourth industrial revolution, which is also a revolution in people’s lives. “The Dominican Republic looks to the future with optimism. It is an optimism based on decisions that, without overlooking the deficits, plans and policies be able to adopt decisions that accelerate our progress towards achieving the highest rates of economic, social and human development,” he indicated.
In turn, the director of ILO-Cinterfor, Anne Posthuma maintained that the organization’s vision is guided by central values such as solidarity and horizontal cooperation to promote innovation and realize the transformative potential of vocational training in terms of economic and productive development with social justice.
“In these sixty years, we have learned that consistent exchanges and collaboration around common objectives forge closeness and relationships of trust,” said Posthuma referring to the 60th anniversary of the meeting of the vocational training leadership.
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El Caribe
OIT-Cinterfor
5 October 2023