CoSPAE promotes employment through the Learning for Life training model. With an investment of over 68 thousand balboas, this initiative trains young people in technical and socio-emotional skills to meet the demand from hotels and restaurants in Panama. The Learning for Life model confirms that technical structure and business commitment are key elements to transform social responsibility into productivity and competitiveness for the hospitality sector in Panama. This initiative, driven by CoSPAE, integrated technical training, socio-emotional skills development, and professional practice during the last period to prepare Panamanian youth for their first formal work experience in the tourism, hospitality, and restaurant sectors. Investment and reach in the tourism sector With a total investment of B/.68,296.95, the program positively impacted 75 young people aged between 18 and 35. Participants not only access theoretical content, but must also adhere to schedules and learn customer service protocols under current industry standards, which significantly reduces hiring risks and costs for employers. Fidelina Patiño, director of the En Serio and Learning for Life project, explained in the third person that the program is aligned with the principles of the Internships Law by delivering young people with clear competencies and defined objectives. According to Patiño, tourism and gastronomy companies gain added value by incorporating these interns, as they receive talent that has undergone a rigorous real-world training process. Projections and improvement of employment insertion The program's implementation is divided into three groups of 25 participants each. In a context where current legislation allows organizations to incorporate talent under a regulated scheme with a monthly stipend of B/.450, Learning for Life provides profiles that have been previously trained and evaluated for immediate integration into commercial operations. Differentiation and methodology of the program Unlike other training schemes, this program operates under the premise of supervised practice in companies, continuous mentoring, and performance evaluation. This measure aims to increase the employment insertion rate, which currently stands at around 40%. To date, two of these groups have successfully completed their training and practice phases, while the third group is scheduled to begin classes in February. To strengthen the results, CoSPAE announced the incorporation of a Practice Coordinator for a period of three months.
