Latin America: 172 million in poverty, job training urged

In Latin America, 172 million people live in poverty: a study presented in Madrid, Spain, calls for training that leads to real job opportunities. Of those people, 66 million live in extreme poverty. Ignacio Niño of professional services firm EY gave the figures at the study’s presentation on Tuesday.

Niño said spending on labour-market policies amounts to 0.34% of the region’s gross domestic product. That is too little, he argued, and training does little for job prospects when it is cut off from employers’ needs. Guidance and ongoing support should be central to programmes designed to help people find work, he said.

Carmen Planas, president of the Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands, backed the call for closer links. Separating social inclusion from business, training and job prospects, she said, leaves out an essential part of education. She urged companies, foundations, public authorities and social organisations to work together.

Topics: Social affairs · Jobs & labour · Politics · Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com