Samanta Anguiano, deputy director of the Mexico-China Chamber of Commerce and Technology, commented that although Chinese companies are finding sufficient labor in the country, they need to be trained in technology and innovation issues.
“Technological advance in China is in another millennium,” he highlighted before businessmen from the Mexican Institute of Foreign Trade Executives (IMECE).
From 2018 to 2023, China’s research and development spending increased nearly 70%, achieving global impact by continuously advancing cutting-edge technologies. In 2023, it applied for 921,000 patents, 15.3% more than in 2022, according to a publication by the World Economic Forum.
At a time when Mexico needs to take advantage of the relocation of nearshoring companies, redoubling these technological efforts is crucial. The consulting firm Deloitte reports that 3 out of 10 Chinese companies surveyed say that labor is one of their main problems.
An Accenture ranking points out that 91% of highly specialized talent is concentrated in 30 countries, where Mexico is not in a negligible position, at 12, but China is at 1.
In fact, large Chinese companies already with a presence in Mexico, such as Huawei, are promoting this technological human resource; this year they completed a project together with Conahcyt for the training of talent in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, has assured that the technological issue will be one of the obsessions of his administration, since Mexico is number 58 of 132 countries in technology development.
Where should we aim?
Jaime Mora Vargas, national director of Professional Impact Postgraduate Studies at Tecnológico de Monterrey, pointed out that there are four pillars that should increasingly be permeating the students’ curricula, driven by the new labor needs that nearshoring brings with it.
The researcher pointed to digital transformation, AI and cybersecurity, without leaving aside the powerskills.
In digital transformation, Mora Vargas said that we must go beyond converting data, since this involves the intensive use of tools such as the cloud, databases or the blockchainwhich translate into information flows, requirements and production plans.
Regarding AI, he indicated that it has multiple areas of application and its impact reaches various industries. From big data processing to personalized recommendation systems.
“In the areas of logistics and transportation, for example, we can see applications of AI regarding inventory management and monitoring, in addition to route optimization, in order to improve costs and delivery times. Likewise, demand prediction stands out, for which, using historical data, one can try to establish future behavior for decision making,” he assured.
In cybersecurity, companies increasingly appreciate the knowledge of their workers, since according to the researcher, 30% of organizations report losses or failures due to problems associated with this issue.
Regarding the powerskills, He commented that they have gained ground in organizations by encompassing effective communication skills, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and leadership.
