Preparing the Next Generation: Developing the Skills for Costa Rica's Future Workforce
As conversations sparked by International Youth Day continue, one question deserves greater attention: are we preparing young people for the jobs of today or equipping them with the skills and mindset needed for the careers of tomorrow?
For decades, Costa Rica's competitiveness has been built on the strength of its talent. The country's highly skilled workforce has played a key role in attracting investment and supporting the growth of industries ranging from advanced manufacturing to corporate services and digital technologies. According to CINDE's Vital Statistics: Most In-Demand Careers, companies continue to seek professionals in fields such as business, finance, industrial engineering, information technology and systems engineering.
Yet as industries evolve and technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), continues to reshape how organizations operate, workforce demands are also changing. Technical expertise remains essential, but employers are increasingly looking for professionals who can combine specialized knowledge with analytical thinking, adaptability, communication skills and the ability to work across functions and geographies. In the case of AI, this does not mean every professional needs the technical skills to develop AI models. Rather, employees across functions increasingly need the literacy to understand how emerging technologies can support their work, evaluate their outputs critically and apply sound judgment in determining where they can add value.
This shift is reflected in labour market trends around the world. The OECD has highlighted the growing importance of skills-first approaches, where continuous learning becomes essential for long-term employability. Likewise, the World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 39% of today's workforce skills will change by 2030, with increasing demand for capabilities such as analytical thinking, technological literacy, AI, creativity, resilience and leadership.
These trends point to a broader reality: preparing young people for the future is no longer simply about helping them secure their first job. It is about equipping them with the ability to continuously learn, adapt and develop new capabilities throughout their careers. The future of work belongs not only to those who possess technical expertise, but also to those who can evolve alongside changing business needs and emerging technologies.
This is particularly important as Costa Rica continues to strengthen its role in the global economy. Organizations increasingly rely on teams that can combine technical knowledge with digital fluency, business acumen and effective collaboration. Success is no longer defined by mastery of a single discipline. Instead, it depends on the ability to apply knowledge in different contexts, work across teams and embrace lifelong learning. AI is a practical example of this shift: the value lies not simply in knowing how to use a technology, but in understanding the business challenge, asking the right questions and determining how technology can responsibly contribute to a better way of working.
The challenge is then how to help young people develop these capabilities before and after they enter the workforce. Many of the skills employers increasingly value, such as collaboration, problem solving, communication and adaptability, are strengthened through real world experience and exposure to professional environments. For many young people, entering the workforce today is about more than securing a first job. It is about finding opportunities to gain practical experience, learn from others and understand how organizations operate in a global environment. Exposure to diverse perspectives, experienced leaders and real-world business challenges can help accelerate professional growth while strengthening the skills that employers increasingly value.
Creating these opportunities requires collaboration. Employers, academic institutions and policymakers all have a role to play in building pathways that connect education with workplace experience. Technical education programs, internships, mentoring opportunities and work-based learning experiences can help students bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional expectations.
When young people are exposed early to professional environments, they begin developing the adaptability and practical skills that today's labour market increasingly demands. In our experience, initiatives such as partnerships with Technical Professional High Schools (CTPs), structured internship programs for university students and continuous learning opportunities have demonstrated the value of giving young people meaningful exposure to professional environments before they begin their careers full time. These efforts are most effective when supported by strong collaboration among employers, educational institutions and organizations such as CINDE and PROCOMER, which provide valuable insights into workforce trends, investment opportunities and future skills needs.
Preparing young people for the future does not end when they are hired. In a labour market where skills requirements are evolving faster than ever, career development must become an ongoing process. Through learning platforms, mentoring opportunities, leadership development programs and opportunities to collaborate with global teams, organizations can help employees continuously build new capabilities throughout their careers. That development increasingly includes AI readiness helping employees across functions understand the capabilities and limitations of emerging technologies and how to engage with them responsibly, rather than expecting everyone to become an AI specialist. Investing in talent is not simply about filling roles today; it is about helping create a workforce that can adapt to future demands and contribute to long-term economic growth.
Costa Rica's competitiveness has always been built on talent. In the years ahead, our greatest advantage may not be only the skills people possess when they enter the workforce, but their ability to continuously learn, adapt and grow throughout their careers. By creating environments where learning extends beyond the classroom and continues throughout professional experiences, we can help ensure that the next generation is prepared not only for their first job, but for the opportunities and challenges of an ever-changing future.
About TransUnion Costa Rica (NYSE:TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person, stewarded with care, so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good®. TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people in more than 30 countries.
TransUnion's Global Capability Centers (GCCs) enable a global operating model with robust scale and scope, improving efficiency and effectiveness whilst strengthening operational resilience and augmenting our existing service offering to clients and consumers.
In Costa Rica, our GCC leverages local talent to deliver TransUnion’s core capabilities and support global operations with scale and speed. We’re creating opportunities across a range of skills such as contact center, business process management, technology support and data analytics roles, among others, while expanding time-zone and language coverage, and ultimately enabling thriving economies around the world.
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https://www.transunioncentralamerica.com/gcc.
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