The attractiveness of a country like Costa Rica for foreign direct investment is not only based on political, economic and social stability, nor on the tax benefits that the government can offer. The key lies in the availability of enough trained and competitive human talent that will be the main driver to achieve business objectives.
Availability of an academically prepared, experienced and motivated workforce will make the difference between the success and failure of an operation. Data from the 2020 Global Talent Competitiveness Index, presented at the World Economic Forum, shows that Costa Rica is the regional leader in human talent, an irresistible attraction for major multinational companies seeking to expand their operations.
The Grecia Free Trade Zone is part of Costa Rica Green Valley, the first mixed-use project in the country that integrates industrial, corporate, commercial, and residential components. This outstanding project is located in the Western Region in the canton of Grecia, the first city that, according to the distribution by socioeconomic regions of the country, is outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM). This means an important competitive advantage since, although it is only 11 miles (19 km) from the main international airport and has very favorable access to the main benefits offered by the GAM, it offers additional and more competitive tax incentives for new investments in this region.
Due to its strategic location and the academic and job opportunities to which its inhabitants have access, the Western Region is recognized for the talent and great potential of its people, a workforce of almost 500,000 trained and committed individuals meeting the needs of different industries.
The local job council that articulates local governments, the private sector and academia promotes and strengthens a shared vision of facilitating a highly competitive business environment, guaranteeing the success of the companies that operate in it.
In particular, academia plays a fundamental role of promoting academic offers focused on the specific needs of organizations, bridging the gap between what is taught in the classroom and what businesses demand. This contributes to developing a highly qualified resource sector prepared to face the challenges of the business world.
STEM Graduates
The Western Region stands out for the large number of graduates in STEM programs: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Forty-four percent of graduates specialize in engineering and technology, followed by 32% in medical sciences while 18% are professionals in exact and natural sciences.
These graduates in technical and scientific areas demonstrate the high employability potential in the Western Region.
Bilingualism
HR GPS is a tool developed by the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE), that measures the level of English and human talent in different regions of the country.
According to the results of the 2019 report, people from the Western Region obtained the highest scores in the country. Fifty percent ranged between C1+ (highest), B2+ (required for positions in service companies) and B1+ (required for advanced manufacturing positions).
Academic Offer
The location of the Western Region allows its inhabitants to move easily and have access to the academic offer that the Greater Metropolitan Area offers. In addition, this region boasts a wide range of high-level education offers. There are over 300 public and private colleges and universities providing quality education aligned with the specific requirements of companies.
For these reasons, Grecia Free Trade Zone has numerous competitive advantages in terms of supply or accessibility of opportunities to strengthen human talent.
The presence of a highly trained workforce, added to the accessibility to important routes, represents a great value for any company interested in developing business in
Costa Rica.
For more information visit www.portafolio.cr and www.greenvalley.co.cr