MADISON, WI (September 19, 2022) — With the goal of facilitating effective and inclusive employment solutions for migrants, refugees and local residents, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Council of Credit Unions’ (WOCCU) Economic Inclusion Project (EIP), the Ecuadorian Ministry of Labor, CONQUITO and Program Sin Fronteras have joined efforts to develop “The Guide for the Hiring of Human Talent in Ecuador.”
Through this new tool, EIP aims to help employers identify and navigate the current regulations and services impacting the labor market, so they can improve their hiring success. The Guide is also designed to help employers integrate training sessions into their hiring processes to maximize employee potential and reduce the investment of resources dedicated to recruitment, which should make it easier to facilitate the hiring of migrants, refugees and locals.
The need for such a tool in Ecuador is great. A study from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) states that only three out of 10 workers have formal jobs, with that ratio dropping to just one in 10 for migrants and refugees, according to the Protection Monitor created by ACNUR.
The Guide has four key components:
A focus on the Ecuadorian labor market and migration;
A policy framework for the hiring of migrants and refugees;
A listing of services available to help with the strengthening of employment processes; and
Identifying available job search platforms.
The Economic Inclusion Project held a September 14 launch event with more than 30 enterprises from the private sector.
To open the event, Jaime Chang, USAID Peru Project Management Specialist, called on the companies to integrate migrants and refugees into their workforces, so they can contribute to the local and national economy. Chang emphasized that migrants come to Peru and Ecuador with undeniable job skills.
Luis Capace, a Venezuelan migrant who participated in employment training through the UIO Integra program carried out by USAID, WOCCU and CONQUITO, spoke about his new job as a financial administrative coordinator in the “Comercio Activo Digital” project.
“The challenges to get a job are many, but the training for employability helped me to open doors for more opportunities, especially regarding the position that now I carry out, where, since the first moment, I have dedicated my entire effort,” said Capace.
Leticia Criollo, who was also benefited from the employability training, thanked the institutions that created the guide.
“(Their work) makes it possible for numbers to turn into life stories,” said Criollo.
Patricio Donoso, Ecuador’s Minister of Labor, acknowledged the collaboration between USAID, WOCCU EIP, CONQUITO and Program Sin Fronteras to develop the Guide, and highlighted the access of equal opportunities for both Ecuadorians and Venezuelans.
“From the government of President Guillermo Lasso, we’re looking for more opportunities for those who haven’t had them, and The Guide for the Hiring of Human Talent is huge news—news that has to fill us with emotion, gratitude and warmth,” said Donoso
USAID and WOCCU are determined to continue creating alliances to generate more employment opportunities through the Economic Inclusion Project, which has assisted more than 5,000 Venezuelans and local residents with employment training and placement in Peru and Ecuador to date.
World Council of Credit Unions is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
Greg Neumann
E-mail: gneumann@woccu.org
Phone: +1 608-395-2048
