[{"bbox": [86, 153, 340, 183], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [97, 212, 1144, 425], "category": "Text", "text": "**Cybersecurity challenges in the country.** In accordance with the Cyber Security Country Profile drawn up by IDB and OAS (2020), the challenges faced in addressing this situation are concentrated on the following dimensions: (i) insufficient normative legal framework; (ii) limited cybersecurity infrastructure; (iii) lack of specialized workforce (according to another report from the IDB, 60.5 % of officials surveyed identified the lack of human resources in cybersecurity as the main problem)²⁵, i.e. digital talent in general and with specialization, in which women are disadvantaged; (iv) lack of awareness and education about cybersecurity (including businesses); (v) existing cybersecurity services that are not affordable and accessible to all (especially SMEs confirming the bulk of the country's business park²⁶).\n\n**Opportunity to promote an innovative ecosystem and digital talent with cybersecurity specialization in El Salvador.** Against this background, the IDB produced a report analyzing the country's current situation on cybersecurity (2021),²⁷ which prioritizes the following areas of action (% are from all the people surveyed): (i) an appropriate legal and regulatory framework (30.2 %); (ii) Stimulating awareness (businesses and citizens), skills development and training (37.2 %); (iii) adopting standards and good practices for risk management (55.8 %); (iv) Developing the cybersecurity market to make services more accessible, including for small and medium-sized businesses; (v) Relevant cybersecurity infrastructure (69.8 %) in both the private and public sectors."}, {"bbox": [97, 436, 1144, 623], "category": "Text", "text": "**Demand for highly skilled professionals in digital technologies exceeds supply in El Salvador.** According to country diagnosis, under the World Bank Group's Digital Economy for Latin America and the Caribbean (DE4LAC) initiative²⁸, there is an insufficient supply of talents with digital skills and there is a persistent digital divide within the country, partly driven by inadequate provision of quality fixed broadband infrastructure. This limits the potential of digital technologies and slows down the pace of digital transformation in the country, where more than 30 % of companies of all sizes in El Salvador identify the lack of skilled professionals with digital skills and 20 % with other technical skills as the main challenges in adopting and operating digital technologies. In addition, Salvadoran companies identify e-commerce, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) as the vital technologies that will affect their business in the next decade."}, {"bbox": [97, 634, 1144, 873], "category": "Text", "text": "**Unemployment in El Salvador mostly affects young people and women.** According to data from the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), in 2022 a total of 151,350 Salvadorans were out of work, but at the end of 2023 this number grew to 161,400 (6.6 %). In addition, jobless people accounted for 5 % of workers in 2022, up to 5.2 % in 2023. Studies from the Salvadorean Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES) indicate that every year an average of 50,000 young people of productive age enter a labor market that does not offer sufficient jobs to meet their needs. Most of them work on informality or join the NEET group (NINIs); 14 % of 15-24²⁹ year-olds are not in education or employment, which is repeated in 6 out of 100 households in the department of San Salvador (with higher population density). The distribution of NINIs in terms of sex identifies in the country that eight out of 10 NEETs are women (79.9 %) and two in 10 (20.1 %) are men³⁰."}, {"bbox": [97, 885, 1144, 1123], "category": "Text", "text": "The program focuses on providing certified young people with the opportunity to gain work experience through internship programs in various companies in El Salvador, with an emphasis on SMEs. These internships are designed to allow participants to demonstrate their potential and skills in real work environments, thus facilitating their entry into the job market. Additionally, some of these talented young individuals will be directly hired at the BeLab of Cybersecurity, a centre of excellence that promotes professional development in the field of cybersecurity. To maximize employment opportunities, an innovative digital platform will be implemented to facilitate direct job placement. This platform will enable an efficient and effective connection between certified young people and private sector companies, ensuring that the skills and competencies acquired during the program are recognized and valued in the job market. In this way, the program not only provides quality training and education, but also creates a solid bridge to sustainable employment opportunities and the demand in the cybersecurity and AI sectors."}, {"bbox": [97, 1137, 1144, 1402], "category": "Text", "text": ""}, {"bbox": [86, 1510, 1012, 1529], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²⁵ Analysis of the state of play and design of the proposed governance framework for cybersecurity management in El Salvador, IDB 2021."}, {"bbox": [86, 1530, 1144, 1569], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²⁶ According to the FUSAI MYPE Observatory in 2022, there were 833,165 economic units in the country classified as Micro and Small Enterprises, of which 60 % are headed by women. FUSAI, 2023."}, {"bbox": [86, 1570, 141, 1586], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²⁷ Idem."}, {"bbox": [86, 1588, 753, 1607], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²⁸ Digital transformation in El Salvador, reviving growth and inclusion. World Bank, October 2022."}, {"bbox": [86, 1608, 320, 1626], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²⁹ El Salvador survey, March 2023."}, {"bbox": [86, 1627, 672, 1645], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³⁰ FUNDAUNGO on the basis of the Survey of Multi-Party Households (EHPM), 2012."}, {"bbox": [1028, 1656, 1144, 1681], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 9 of 24"}]