Sector specific training programs

SENA’s job is to make sure Colombians get the training they need to succeed in the country’s labor market.

Coffee is one of Colombia’s biggest exports, and SENA has an extensive program in place to make sure the country has the skilled workers it needs to produce, process and export the vital agricultural commodity. Classes include teaching how to choose the best seeds, and new and innovative ways to market the beans.

The coffee program was set up with the input of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, a typical strategy of SENA. The institution also recently signed an agreement with General Motors, to train employees to work on the carmaker’s automated production lines at the GM Colmotores plant in Bogota.

Providing Colombians with training for the use of new technologies is a growing part of SENA’s mission. In 2006 the institution started Tecnoparque, a system that entrepreneurs and students can use to get the equipment, tools and technological knowledge they need to judge if their business ideas will work.

Tecnoparque helps people with an idea formulate a clear plan to create a product unit, which they can then put into practice with the help of a business incubator. The Tecnoparque system gives them access to marketing, management and financial advisers, and helps put them in touch with potential clients.

SENA has many different programs to help train and educate Colombians. It also provides training and facilities to instructors, to help them improve their teaching skills, and to give their students the best education possible. As part of its commitment to excellence, businesses also have access to SENA resources, to help them be as efficient and productive as possible.