Recent statistics of Puerto Rico (PR) have reported a yearly decrease of 20,000 employees from 2020 to 2021. This sad tendency is worse in the municipalities of the southeast region of the island, with up to 9% unemployment rates. New initiatives on workforce development have been established by PR Science, Technology & Research Trust (STRT or Fideicomiso in Spanish), an entity established under Public Law 214 to stimulate innovation, technology commercialization, and the creation of high-technology jobs in sectors such as; Life Sciences, Medical Devices and Environmental & Agricultural Sciences, among others. The mission of the Trust is to invest, facilitate, and build capacity to continually advance the economy through innovation-driven enterprises, science, technology, and public health. This aim has been reinforced by training new generations in novel arenas and creating models for workforce development. For example, the PR Ready Workforce Training Program has the objective of training for workers in economically deprived sectors of the island through short-term certifications in informational technology, manufacturing, and health services. After the training, those workers can join industries with skills in high demand. The STRT not only designed the certifications but also has strong links to local industries and serves as an important workforce development driver on the island.
Objectives of the conference | Research to be conducted | Conceptual Framework
