ManpowerGroup Recommends New Skills and Training Strategy to Drive Regional Economic Growth at World Economic Forum on Latin America

Education and Training Key to Leveraging Region's Vast Untapped Human Potential

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Apr 24, 2013, 10:10 ET

LIMA, Peru, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions and World Economic Forum (WEF) strategic partner, today called for greater collaboration between business, government and education to create and implement targeted, effective training and development programs that will drive Latin America's future growth.

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Monica Flores, Regional Managing Director, ManpowerGroup Latin America, leads the company's delegation to the WEF LATAM in Lima, Peru, titled, "Delivering Growth, Strengthening Societies." Flores, who was named Distinguished Woman of the Year by the Mexican Senate in 2011, will today lead discussions at a session, "Education for Employment," addressing how education and training can better equip people in the region for skilled and productive employment.

"Educational institutions alone do not have the knowledge, reach or resources to overcome skills mismatches, unlock Latin America's vast human potential and develop the region's talent pipeline," said Flores. "To succeed long-term, Latin American employers and educational institutions need to work together more closely to develop programs that effectively train and upskill the regional talent pool. Targeted government funding needs to support and incentivize those programs that are closely aligned with current and future business needs, and focus on specific outcomes to simultaneously tackle unemployment and address talent shortages."

Improved collaboration between business and educational institutions on "post-crisis" curricula and targeted skills development is a key recommendation from WEF's B20 Task Force on Employment in 2012, co-chaired by Jeffrey A. Joerres, ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO. The Task Force developed five global scalable priorities for boosting and sustaining employment worldwide and also included recommendations to scale the number, quality and image of internships and apprenticeships for young people making the school-to-work transition as well as experienced workers transitioning careers.

ManpowerGroup's 2012 Talent Shortage Survey found that employers in the Americas report greater levels of difficulty filling jobs than the global average — with 71% of employers in Brazil struggling with this issue. Despite these endemic talent shortages, women remain a severely under-leveraged resource in Latin America, in addition to addressing required skillsets in the region, today's WEF LATAM session will consider the crucial role of women in the region's development.

"Research shows that companies with a high percentage of women fare better than competitors. To tap into this vital talent pool, businesses should act now to update their outdated people practices and work models to offer women the flexibility they need to achieve their potential," added Flores.

Flores' fellow panellists include Lucy Molinar, Minister of Education of Panama; Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor, Chairman, Intercorp; Susan L. Segal, President and CEO, Council of the Americas; Elizabeth Tinoco, Assistant Director-General and Regional Director, Latin America and the Caribbean, International Labor Organization; and Janet Longmore, Founder and CEO, Digital Opportunity Trust. The panel will be moderated by Borge Brende, Managing Director and Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum.

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN) is the world leader in innovative workforce solutions that ensure the talent sustainability of the world's workforce for the good of companies, communities, countries, and individuals themselves. Specializing in solutions that help organizations achieve business agility and workforce flexibility, ManpowerGroup leverages its 65 years of world of work expertise to create the work models, design the people practices and access the talent sources its clients need for the future. From staffing, recruitment, workforce consulting, outsourcing and career management to assessment, training and development, ManpowerGroup delivers the talent to drive the innovation and productivity of organizations in a world where talentism is the dominant economic system. Every day, ManpowerGroup connects more than 630,000 people to work and builds their experience and employability through its relationships with 400,000 clients across 80 countries and territories. ManpowerGroup's suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the third consecutive year in 2013, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible at www.manpowergroup.com. Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: Twitter.com/manpowergroupjj

SOURCE ManpowerGroup