72% of Argentine employers cannot find the qualified professionals they need

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL –  This week, the president of the Toyota automotive group described the difficulties the company has in filling positions at its plant due to a lack of applicants who meet the most basic educational requirements, such as a secondary school diploma.

Daniel Herrero, head of the Japanese company in the country, explained in “Talks at the Rotary Club of Buenos Aires” that they cannot find 200 people who have completed secondary education for their plant in Zárate. “During the pandemic, we hired 500 more people to replace those who were absent for health or age reasons, and we want to hire another 200 people for some of our future projects. But it’s difficult for us,” he said.

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According to human resources consultants, the automotive company’s situation is not an isolated case but is becoming more common. The lack of qualified personnel has become a structural problem in Argentina, which has worsened in recent decades with a greater mismatch between labor supply and demand.

“Beyond the Toyota case, it is a structural problem. There is a lack of strategic planning of the human resources needed for the country, which requires coordination between the private, public, and university sectors. It is also true for sectors with other demands, such as companies in the technology sector. And we have an imperfect labor market, where unemployment is not decreasing and, at the same time, companies are unable to fill the positions they demand,” explains Matías Ghidini, labor market expert and managing director of the consulting firm Ghidini Rodil.

A survey conducted in 43 countries by ManpowerGroup, an HR consulting firm, found that 69% of companies surveyed worldwide complained of a lack of talent. In Argentina, the percentage reached 72% of employers who said they had difficulty finding their needed profiles. In 2019, this figure was 50%.

“The debate should be about whether formal education today can prepare candidates to fill positions that require new skills, as companies have had to embark on a process of accelerated digital transformation as a result of the pandemic,” said Gustavo Aguilera, director of Talent Solutions and People & Culture at ManpowerGroup Argentina.

Among the different sectors where it is difficult to find qualified personnel, Ghidini gave some examples: In the technology sector, every year, between 5,000 and 10,000 positions remain unfilled for 10 years, despite offering salaries that are 40% higher than the average salary. In the health sector, there was a shortage of 50,000 nurses even before the pandemic.

“Of the 100,000 professionals Argentina receives annually, 60 percent are lawyers, accountants, and psychologists. Argentina produces only 60 petroleum engineers a year. Another fact is that for every 100 children who start elementary school, only 14 graduate from university,” Ghidini said.

Source: infobae