Panama's perennial middle-level labor shortage  continues and over 35 percent of companies in Panama have  difficulties filling job positions, mainly intermediate positions with a high level of training required says a ManpowerGroup report

According to the Talent Shortage Survey 2018, the most difficult positions to cover are technicians, sales representatives, office support staff, accountants, and financiers, heavy equipment drivers, computer support, engineers, chemists, customer service, lawyers, project managers, researchers, electricians, mechanics, and welders.

Alberto Alesi, Regional Director for the Caribbean and Central America told La Estrella that " ...'Due to automation, the skills most valued by companies are agility, flexibility, and innovative thinking. To be successful today, the ideal is to have a mixture of digital knowledge and human strengths."

The article adds that " ...The majority of vacancies where demand is growing include intermediate positions that require training. 71% of employers surveyed in the country are investing in learning platforms to develop talent in their companies, while 42% are also changing their current work models, including flexible work offers."