Capgemini helps reduce Guatemala’s digital divide with its new digital academy

Inclusive talent pools are the future of the job market

As digitalization saturates the world completely, the global workforce needs to acquire digital skills to keep up with the changing market. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, many do not have access to digital training programs, which leaves them on the margins.

According to a recent study by Statista , only around 18% of the population of Guatemala are employed in industry jobs. This is because Guatemala continues to be stonewalled by serious issues of inequality. Decent work opportunities are generally beyond the reach of rural, indigenous, and female youth.

Strategic investments in education that align with the needs of employers are crucial to stimulate business and disadvantaged individuals to reach their full potential.

Opening doors to careers in technology

To close this technology gap, as part of Capgemini’s global Digital Academy program, Capgemini Guatemala delivered a series of high-end IT training programs to help bridge the digital skills gap.

In partnership with El Patojismo – a humanitarian association in Guatemala that aims to create an inclusive and safe zone for its students and families.

Capgemini Guatemala launched its first digital academy in the community of Jocotenango, Guatemala. Through taking part in these courses, participants are provided with a “way in” to the technology industry, preparing them to excel at internships and job opportunities. The people participating in our digital academies include:

• Disadvantaged and excluded youth who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) or who are in education but need support to improve their employability
• People struggling with long-term unemployment or in need of professional retraining
• Those in transition, such as refugees
• Under-represented or marginalized groups such as women, people in LGBTQIA+ groups, and people with disabilities.

Since 2018, Capgemini’s network of over 50 active digital academies has equipped approximately 10,000 graduates with digital skills enabling them to enter the IT job market. More than 1,000 of them are now our valued colleagues. We aim to train 75,000 participants by 2030 and hire 10% of them.

A rainbow colored, inclusive future awaits

As the leader of this project, I am extremely pleased to be able to contribute my time and energy to such a great cause. Our Digital Academy space reflects our values and vision for the future, and we designed it with this in mind.

The walls of the premises are painted with a rainbow of colors, depicting nature, animals, and mythological creatures and themes. Above the doorway to the laboratory is written in painted letters: “Nada mas hermoso que hacer comunidad con amor, honor y dignidad. Aqui construimos un nuevo mundo, el de los sueños e ideas.” This translates as: “Nothing more beautiful than to form a community with love, honor and dignity. Here we build a new world of dreams and ideas.”

What’s more, as part of the opening ceremony, we wrote positive affirmations on the walls of the computer laboratory we built such as “Capgemini apoyando la educacion,” meaning “Capgemini supporting education.” The creativity that went into this project was incredibly inspiring and we hope that it is a sign of a very colorful future for the youth of Guatemala.

The future of education looks very bright, and we look forward to continuing this journey of creating these spaces with care!

To find out more about Capgemini Guatemala’s Digital Academy initiative reach out to: Eduardo.castillo@capgemini.com.

Eduardo Castillo is an accomplished leader with over 15 years of experience in business process outsourcing and networking in the US, Canada, and Latin America. His strengths include a strong focus on revenue and cost management, P&L accountability, business development, and strategic planning built around the relationship between operations, financial objectives, and clients’ requirements.