Certifying Skills to Propel Latin American Workers

A need for contemporary workers involves acquiring skills that not only improve their earning potential, but also offer them greater social mobility and access to other job markets. This is especially true for job seekers in Latin America, where the rise of short-term, verified training programs is unlocking access to better jobs—both at home and abroad.

One of the biggest drivers in the region for bilateral training programs and funded certifications is the United States, which can create attractive opportunities for the Latin American workforce. Through certifications that verify skills via globally recognized programs, workers' abilities can be recognized by employers worldwide, making opportunities feel more attainable and real.

For example, the United States increasingly needs skilled workers. President Donald Trump recently acknowledged that the country lacks certified personnel to fill the more than 7.2 million open positions. In fact, over the next 10 years, the country aims to create around 5.2 million jobs, according to a projection from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with industrial and technological sectors needing this highly trained personnel in the medium and long term, to meet the demand that the giant to the north faces today. Transparent certification practices make it possible to start processes with companies in the U.S. to meet this growing need.

Verified Skill Certifications: A Global Standard

The growing availability of short-term certification programs marks a significant shift in how skills are valued across borders. According to recent labor market studies by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Latin America has a large population of underemployed workers whose skills often go unrecognized, leaving them vulnerable to lower-wage jobs and limited opportunities for professional advancement.

In some countries in the region, such as Colombia, Peru, and El Salvador, the introduction of certification programs linked to internationally recognized standards has been a game-changer. These programs span a wide range of sectors, from technical fields like construction, information technology, and healthcare, to more specialized areas like hotel management and renewable energy.

While there are undoubtedly many certification opportunities for those wishing to get trained, it's necessary to know how to recognize the characteristics of a suitable training program.

To ensure that a certification truly offers a secure and practical path to better employment, it would be helpful if it meets the following criteria:

• It is in a high-demand field (e.g., health, IT, skilled trades, transportation/logistics).
• It has a relatively short or modular training time (e.g., months, not necessarily years).
• The credential is recognized by employers (license, professional certificate, industry credential).
• There is a possibility of financing or assistance (subsidies, state/federal aid, scholarship program).
• There is data on job placement or on graduates accessing better-paying jobs.

Investing in Verified Skills

For employers, the advantages of hiring workers with verified certifications are also clear. A report from the USAID workforce development program highlights how companies that hire workers with transparent credentials experience lower turnover rates, greater productivity, and reduced training-related costs.

Employers in Latin America, especially those with operations or commercial ties in other countries, are particularly interested in hiring workers whose skills can be easily recognized in international labor markets. Employers in sectors like construction, information technology, and healthcare—all of which face skills shortages in many Latin American countries—see short-term, skills-based certification programs as a reliable way to fill their talent gaps.

For these reasons and more, it's worth seeking out available certifications that can propel your career, especially if you are from Latin America. There are accessible and internationally recognized options that can open doors both in your home country and in markets like the United States.

For example, you can search for programs in the CareerOneStop database for training with WIOA financing—that is, state training with federal funds—where you will find rapid training courses in trades, IT, health, and more. You can also consult the Training Provider Results, which lists eligible programs in each state.