INFOTEP director calls for ‘Dominicanizing’ construction workforce

Santo Domingo.- Rafael Santos Badía, the general director of the National Institute for Technical-Professional Training (INFOTEP), highlighted the institution’s historic expansion over the past five years during an interview on the program Hoy Mismo. He announced that INFOTEP has trained more than 3.4 million people and implemented “fourth industrial revolution” (4.0) training programs and strategic partnerships to boost youth employment.

Santos Badía credited President Luis Abinader for his strong support, which he said allowed INFOTEP to modernize and expand its programs to meet the demands of the digital economy and a changing labor market.

Among the key achievements, he mentioned training in high-demand fields such as electronics repair, medical device manufacturing, and skills related to the Internet of Things (IoT). He also praised the success of INFOTEP’s dual training program, which boasts a 95% employment rate for apprentices who combine classroom training with on-the-job experience.

A push for skilled Dominican workers

In a major policy proposal, Santos Badía called for “Dominicanizing” the construction workforce. He argued that young Dominicans have the interest and capacity for these jobs, provided they are offered fair wages and real opportunities.

He also proposed a collaboration with the Ministry of Education to integrate technical training into the school curriculum. This would allow students to graduate with both a high school diploma and a technical certification, a strategy he believes would significantly reduce youth unemployment and social frustration.

“If we can get academic education and technical training to go hand-in-hand, we can decrease social frustration and increase national productivity,” he stated.

Santos Badía also shared that INFOTEP is collaborating with social programs like Supérate, training thousands of beneficiaries to help them transition from government subsidies to dignified employment. He concluded by saying that through these initiatives, INFOTEP will continue to be a driver of labor transformation and a promoter of Dominican talent.