Mexico’s Workforce Development Outlook: A Conversation with Alberto Almaguer Rocha Managing Director of CONOCER

Technology and productivity improvements in North America are rapidly transforming the workplace leading to an increased demand for a skilled and adaptable workforce. As Mexico develops its R&D and innovation capacities and transitions into the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” the country’s development prospects will increasingly hinge on successful educational and training programs to build, adapt, and validate.

In this context, it was our distinct pleasure to host a conversation with Alberto Almaguer Rocha, Managing Director of CONOCER, Mexico’s agency responsible for developing its job skills/competencies system. This conversation is part of the Wilson Center’s North American Workforce Development Initiative, a series of events and discussions to explore issues important for workforce development in North America in an effort to develop a viable North American agenda on this important topic. Our goal is to explore ways to better support the preservation and creation of jobs during the current period of intense technological change and global competition, based on cooperation between governments (federal and sub-federal), the private sector, unions, NGOs, academia, and others.

The National Council for Standardization and Certification of Labor Competencies (CONOCER) is the federal agency responsible of coordinating Mexico’s National Competencies Framework, which develops and defines job competencies in terms of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required. CONOCER brings together representatives and leaders from the private sector, educational institutions, unions, and governments in order to develop demand-driven job competencies, and to identify best practices for teaching and certifying the acquisition of those competencies. CONOCER also promotes the expansion and use of the framework among educational institutions, private sector, and unions, among other stakeholders across the country.

In this discussion, Alberto Almaguer Rocha, who has been leading this effort since 2016, spoke on the mission, vision, and objectives of Mexico’s National Competencies Framework and how it operates, as well as CONOCER’s strategy to certify the workforce, and increase employability, production, and competitiveness through the development of human capital. The conversation also focused on lessons learned from Mexico’s workforce development efforts and best practices to tackle the skills gaps and workforce transitions in the region.

Please find below Alberto Almaguer’s presentation, as well as more on his professional background.