Boosting Panama’s public higher technical education offering

A society with more and better education improves its chances of developing and harnessing the human potential of its residents to create innovative answers and solutions to the planet’s great current and future challenges. Therefore, CAF’s Education Agenda includes supporting its shareholder countries to help bridge the gaps between educational offerings and labor market demands in Latin America.

In order to expand the quality higher technical education offering, and based on the specialized labor demand in Panama, the Specialized Higher Technical Institute (ITSE) kicked off its academic activities with 154 students enrolled in six Business School programs.

Through technical cooperation resources, and financing of up to US$150 million to the Republic of Panama, CAF supports the construction, structuring and implementation of ITSE as the first public institute for higher technical education. Upon completion of the project, scheduled for October 2019, the educational complex will have a total of 5 buildings, 58 classrooms and 89 fully fitted laboratories and workshops. The project is part of a model that ensures quality and relevance of its programs, as well as a permanent articulation with the productive and business sector of the nation.

The Institute seeks to create jobs and business opportunities for 5,000 young graduates, will offer 17 two-year programs in the areas of business, engineering, tourism, logistics, industry, construction and aeronavigation, with innovative programs focusing on learning through practice, English and development of social-emotional skills. The new offerings are aimed at helping young people join the labor market, thus promoting Panama’s productive transformation and competitiveness.

Created under the Republic Law in 2017, ITSE currently has 50 instructors who have had local and specialized training in renowned technical and technology institutes in France, Germany and Canada. Similarly, its Board of Directors includes representatives of the main business associations of the nation, and of the Technological University of Panama, as a strategy to facilitate dialogue on the needs of qualifications for present and future jobs, as well as for building graduates’ expertise towards technological and university training.