Argentina to Teach Computer Programming in More Colleges

Argentina has announced plans to introduce courses in computer programming in most of the colleges across the country, freeing up the path for students aiming to launch a career in the technology sector. As part of its plans, the South American country will create a network of schools, according to the ministry of education.

A career in information technology can prove rewarding for graduates in Argentina, where, according to Neo Group, there are about 3,600 IT firms and more than 350 BPO companies, including major players like IBM, HP, TCS, Sabre and TeleTech.

In a recent study, Neo Group stated that between 2003 and 2011, there was a 55% increase in R&D professionals in Argentina, with more than 98,000 graduates and 11,000 postgraduates being added to the country’s skilled workforce every year.

“We were delighted with the announcement by the Argentine Ministry of Education,” stated Alex Robbio, President and Co-founder of Argentinean information technology firm Belatrix Software, in his Linkedin blog.

“We believe this announcement by the Education Ministry will help further cement this reputation, and ensure a strong supply of individuals with technology skills in the coming years,” Robbio added.

Over the past few years, Belatrix has organized a few hackathons in Argentina, offering a stage for Argentinean tech talent to present themselves to the wider world.

Robbio says Argentineans have great skills in technology, and cites the recent International ACM Programming Contest, in which a team from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) came 18th, ahead of Harvard, which placed 19^th.

The contest, which saw as many as 128 universities take part, was designed to identify problem-solving and programming skills among college students.

In the Education First’s English Profciency Index 2014, Argentina was the only country with high English proficiency in the Latin America region, with all other countries scoring low to very low on the index.

CESSI, Argentina’s IT industry association, has long been trying to generate skilled labor for the industry, and is encouraging member firms to collaborate with universities and train the students in IT services skills.

Recent reports say IT companies in the country are no longer limited to the City of Buenos Aires, although the city is home to nearly 80 percent of the country’s IT talent. These days, many IT companies are springing up in little-known cities including Rosario, Córdoba, Mendoza, Tandil, Mar del Plata, Bahía Blanca and San Luis.