Bill 145.

Summary.

The bill establishes the National Vocational and Occupational Guidance Policy in the Republic of Panama. It seeks to broaden the pool of candidates for jobs in high demand, provide tools and information for choosing professional careers, and encourage entrepreneurship among young people. It assigns direction, development and implementation to the Ministry of Labor and Workforce Development (Ministerio de Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral), taking account of labor market conditions in each region and age group. It provides special programs for Indigenous and Afro descendant communities, persons with disabilities and women. Guidance would strengthen young people's ability to assess career opportunities, understand present and future employment trends, and identify additional skills they could acquire.

To support participants' decisions, the Ministry would use tools for self assessment and consideration of their working futures. It could cooperate with the Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación); the Government Innovation Authority (Autoridad de Innovación Gubernamental); the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (Secretaria Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e llnovación); the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Authority (Autoridad de la Micro , Pequeña y Mediana Empresa); the National Institute for Professional Training and Human Development (Instituto Nacional de Formación Profesional y Capacitación para el Desarrollo Humano); the Institute for Human Resource Training and Development (Instituto para la Fonnación y Aprovechamiento de Recursos Humanos); the Ministry of Women (Ministerio de la Mujer); the National Disability Secretariat (Secretaría Nacional de Discapacidad); the National Secretariat for Afro Panamanian Policies and Development (Secretaría Nacional de Políticas y Desarrollo para los Afro panameños); the Ministry of Social Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Socia~); the Specialized Higher Technical Institute (Instituto Técnico Superior Especializado); the Vice Ministry of Indigenous Affairs; the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Agropecuario); the Ministry of Security (Ministerio de Seguridad); the Panama Tourism Authority; the Panamanian Sports Institute; the Panamanian Special Habilitation Institute; and the Panama Canal Authority (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá), along with schools, universities and other interested entities.

The stated purposes include guiding lower and upper secondary students in public and private schools; developing technical and technological skills; and supplying information on careers, occupations, vacancies, scholarships, study opportunities and support programs. The policy would also explain how to use employment exchanges and provide information on workers' rights, benefits and obligations, workplace practices, interpersonal skills, public services and entrepreneurship support. The Ministry would coordinate vacancy announcements and job fairs with companies and address business projects and cultural, sustainable, ecological and tourism activities using local resources.

Through its Employment Directorate (Dirección de Empleo), the Ministry would guide students in identifying their interests, personal resources and career expectations. It could establish a joint schedule with the Ministry of Education for public and private schools. The bill provides training and certification programs for vocational counselors, open to public servants, employers and private sector workers, incorporating psychological, social and economic approaches. The Employment Directorate would maintain discussions with public bodies, labor and business associations, and training institutions; prepare guidance materials; visit schools; and develop a method for monitoring and evaluation. The program would include channels for young people's questions and recommendations.

The Ministry would publish an accessible employment and vocational guidance booklet for teachers, families and students. Based on government statistics and updated each year, it would cover employment programs, paid internships and companies participating in youth employment programs. The Ministry would set minimum requirements for programs delivered by third parties and oversee their implementation. It would promote information and guidance platforms. The program could operate in person, online or through both methods under a protocol adaptable to users. Results would be published on Panama's open data platform in cooperation with the Government Innovation Authority (Autoridad para la lrmovación Gubernamental) and the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information (Autoridad Nacional de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información). The program's budget would be no less than five percent (5%) of the Ministry's investment budget. The Executive Branch would issue implementing regulations within the first three months after the law takes effect, which the bill sets at three months after promulgation. It makes no amendments to other legislation.

The proposal concerns the public bodies named in the bill that work on labor, education, training, inclusion, innovation, transparency and economic development. Its subject matter also reaches students, families, teachers, counselors, employers, workers, schools and universities, and sectors connected with employment, technology, tourism, culture, agriculture and entrepreneurship.