Getting the first job is one of the biggest challenges for young people in Guatemala, especially for those who do not have formal work experience or access to training opportunities.
In fact, this problem affects all of Latin America, where the labor inclusion of young people has become one of the main challenges of the labor market.
According to a report by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the difficulty only lies in the lack of job opportunities, but also that many young people lack the labor competences demanded by the current productive environment.
To reduce the gap, programs aimed at promoting youth employability have been developed in the country. One of them is the scholarship my first job, promoted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (Mentrab) since 2022.
What is the scholarship my first job?
The Scholarship my first job in Guatemala It is a government initiative that promotes the Labor Inclusion of Young Between 18 and 24 years who have no formal experience.
This program offers participants the opportunity to perform as apprentices in private sector companies during a period of four months.
The main objective is Create labor skills through practical training in a specific trade, which facilitates the insertion of young people to the formal labor market.
The program was born as part of a Interinstitutional Cooperation Agreement which allowed to transfer the intervention “social scholarship my first job” of the Ministry of Social Development (Measure) to the Mentrabthus consolidating an employability strategy focused on the training and experience of young people.
What benefits does the program offer?
During the four months of the program, the young man hired as a scholarship-apprendiz receives:
- Incentive bonus
- Corresponding compensation
The Ministry of Labor subsidizes the 51% of the total cost of each fellow, while the participating company assumes the 49% remaining.
The payment corresponding to the state contribution is transferred Monthly and directly to the young apprentice
At the end of the process, the company has the option of hiring the participant as a formal worker, although he is not obliged to do so.
In which sectors can scholarship be applied?
The program My first job It covers various productive sectors. According to data from Mentrabthe beneficiaries have been integrated into areas such as:
- Banking and Corporate Sector
- Non -governmental foundations
- Outsourcing services
- Hospital Network
- Hospitality
This variety of fields allows young people to acquire practical experience in different work environments and develop specific technical skills.
What are the requirements to apply?
The requirements to apply to the Scholarship my first job in Guatemala are the following:
- Have between 18 and 24 years
- Not having formal work experience (informal experience is admitted)
- Do not have Prior contributions to IGSS
How to apply my first job to the scholarship?
Those interested should follow the following steps to apply to the program:
- Enter the website: https://becaempleo.mintrabajo.gob.gt/
- Select the option of “Users”enabled to apply to the scholarship.
- Section “Your job” and click “Go to Site”.
- Choose the option “My first job”.
- Keep up register and complete the postulation process.
For more information, doubts or assistance, the Ministry of Labor enables the following contact channels:
- Telephones: 2422-2509 and 2423-2118