Ifarhu advises young people to choose in-demand careers

Choosing a highly saturated university career not only limits young people's access to the job market but also their opportunity to receive financial support from the Institute for Training and Human Resource Development (Ifarhu) to continue their higher education. The selection process prioritizes professions that meet the country's needs, such as research, tourism, logistics, technology, environment, computer science, engineering, and others. The director reiterated that it is important for new generations to know the needs of state and private companies before choosing a university career, as this depends on their access to the job market, quality of life, professional growth, and better use of the educational scholarships offered by Ifarhu. However, students insist on general education; therefore, this year they will develop the 'Ifarhu - Edúcate' program to guide students about their professional future. The general director of Ifarhu, Carlos Godoy, mentioned that a large part of the scholarship applications received by the entity focus on saturated areas of study such as medicine, law, and teaching, disciplines in which it is very difficult for young people to find employment. 'The problem of unemployment is largely due to young people studying saturated careers; we as an institution cannot contribute to this situation continuing; therefore, we must give more priority to priority careers,' he stated. He explained that the orientations will be carried out in public and private universities nationwide to ensure better use of state funds, allowing young people to thoroughly learn about the different financial supports the institution offers so they can choose the one that best suits their needs. He pointed out that in the last 6 years, the institution has awarded scholarships to more than 700 medical students, a career that has not stopped being a priority due to the lack of specialists facing the public health system, mainly in areas such as neonatology, anesthesiology, and psychiatry. Those who have rehabilitated subjects will not be able to be part of the call, which, according to the authorities, seeks to reward the academic effort of young people. This Monday, January 12, the call for the Ifarhu General Scholarship Contest 2026 begins, in which the participation of more than 400,000 elementary, pre-medical, middle, and university students is expected. The minimum average required to opt for this benefit is 4.5 (general basic and secondary education) and 2.0 at the university level. 'The initiative seeks to get young people interested in what the labor market is really demanding,' said Godoy to Panamá América.