In a conversatorio at the LR Forum on talent, education, and productivity, Sebastián Trujillo, vice president of the Private Competitiveness Council, emphasized that the educational gap is the main barrier to competitiveness in Colombia. He highlighted that a Colombian worker generates only US$18 per hour, compared to the OECD average of US$70. He also pointed out the paradox of high unemployment alongside a shortage of qualified talent in companies.
The conversatorio with Sebastián Trujillo took place as part of the LR Forum: Talent, Education, and Productivity, where the vice president of the Private Competitiveness Council addressed the persistent educational gaps that hinder national productivity. Trujillo emphasized the importance of talent formation to boost competitiveness and social well-being, citing key data on labor performance.
According to his statements, a Colombian worker produces US$18 per hour, a figure that starkly contrasts with the US$70 average in OECD countries. This disparity, he stated, primarily stems from educational shortcomings. "In Colombia, six out of ten companies report not finding sufficient talent. We have high unemployment and at the same time companies can't find people. That is the most important gap," Trujillo explained.
To tackle this issue, Trujillo advocated for dual education as an effective solution. "We are running pilots of dual education and the evidence on this is overwhelming. Young people who went through dual education have superior performance in companies," he assured. However, results from PISA tests reveal ongoing weaknesses: Colombia scores low in mathematics, reading comprehension, and sciences, ranking at the bottom of the table.
The executive also highlighted regional inequalities, with better educational outcomes in the country's interior compared to the periphery, where needs are more pronounced and require targeted approaches. Finally, he called for speeding up the accreditation of university programs, particularly in technological fields, and establishing a quality assurance system for tech education institutions, given the rapid evolution of these knowledges.
