Technology will reactivate our region’s economy

During?the past 18 months, the way we learn, connect?and?collaborate has?changed?radically,?evolving in?response?to a world that needs?new solutions?to keep moving forward.?From?our children?in school?to?those?in the workforce,?we’ve all had to adapt to remote environments,?balancing our personal space with our responsibilities,?while?continuing?to navigate this?new reality.??

Now more than ever, innovative policymaking and?increasing access to new technologies?are crucial to ensure that our youth and?businesses?have the chance to participate in the new digital economy.?

?Connectivity as the foundation of development?

?The pandemic has made the lack of?Internet?access?among many underserved communities?evident, particularly in rural areas and outside big cities.?The Inter-American Development Bank estimated that by 2020, around 77 million rural inhabitants?in Latin America?had?no access to high-quality internet services 1.?This reality?represents a fundamental issue to address, as connectivity?truly is?essential?to?making?digital transformation inclusive.?

Such a structural challenge will require the region to continue investing in its technological infrastructure. Projects like the Microsoft Airband Initiative, which uses TV WhiteSpaces technology to leverage available television frequencies to provide Internet access, have already been implemented in rural areas in countries like Colombia and Ecuador 2 with a specific focus on helping schools get their students online.

There is undoubtedly still much to do in this regard, and such solutions can help us continue to draw up strategies that directly empower the communities that need it the most. Closing the connectivity gap, particularly in schools, is absolutely necessary when it comes to building the digital future of this region.

?Reimagining education

Education, like everything else, has been transformed by technology; but when it comes to our students, understanding the impact this has on both teaching and learning, can help prepare our youth for a digital future in which they not only participate, but lead.

To do this we need to focus on a new education framework grounded in a unified IT strategy that can support teachers with professional development opportunities so they can, in turn, prepare students to adopt new tech skills. As part of those efforts, we must help educational institutions through certifications, supporting hybrid learning, and connecting them with companies to offer employability opportunities.

It is crucial for leaders to actively participate in discussions about the structural changes needed to reimagine educational systems in this new world. We need to focus on inclusivity and equality, working to get every Latin American student the same opportunities and access to avoid digital innovation widening equality gaps 3

Skilling and Re-Skilling for the future

Everyone, regardless of age, will at some point have to spend time either skilling or re-skilling, but the rate at which technology is changing today is completely unprecedented. Almost every imaginable job will have new technologies to implement, and we need to address the competence gaps evident across industries in our region so current and future employees can compete and remain relevant.

I personally spend considerable time learning about new technologies as part of my role, but I don’t see such training as an exclusive part of the company I work at or the industry I pertain to, I believe it represents a necessary ongoing development for all of us in today’s world.

This is why I was very excited about the launch of a joint initiative between Microsoft and LinkedIn Learning which has already helped over 30 million people, 6 million of them in Latin America, gain access to digital skills. A democratic access to skilling tools that help people speak this digital language opens opportunities and promotes innovation. Whether we work in tech, health, sports, agriculture, or anything in between, such digital skills can truly help us reimagine our own professional development within a digital market and society.

Turning skills into jobs

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) the Latin American and Caribbean region lost 26 million jobs due to the pandemic and started 2021 with a complex employment landscape. This overwhelming number has made it clear that we must make digital education available for all sectors and continue expanding access to technology to a broader population. Those living in remote rural areas, many without access to public services in general, will benefit from bridging the digital divide.

Reigniting employment levels is crucial for the economic recovery process. I celebrate the work we've had with institutions from the region to get people ready to return to work. For example, we are partnering with SENA (Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje) to promote and improve the quality of education in Colombia and help connect SENA students with headhunters to increase chances of employment. Meanwhile, in Mexico, we are working with the CONALEP (Colegio Nacional de Educación Profesional Técnica de Mexico) to create more than 50,000 virtual classrooms implementing Microsoft Teams to build collaborative and secure learning environments.

All the mentioned initiatives seek to respond to the shifting reality we believe this region, and the rest of the world currently face. While technology has been a lifeline for the activities of many companies, organizations, and individuals, it also presents very specific challenges in terms of access, education, and skills in our region. As a tech company, Microsoft has an important role to play in doing its part to ensure digital tools have a positive impact on every person and organization in the world.

We are entering a new stage of promise, opportunity, and hope. Let’s apply the lessons learned to build a brighter and more inclusive future, leveraging technology to catalyze economic recovery and growth.

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