Guatemala – A first group of eight Guatemalan returnees from the US have completed an IOM-sponsored intensive computer training workshop and are entering the Guatemalan workforce with up-to-date skills, as well as English proficiency.

“This workshop was a blessing, I knew nothing about computers, but IOM has opened a door and we are taking advantage of this training.  We learned how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point, which are three essential tools that we can now use,” said Mauricio, who returned from the US to Guatemala in October 2012.

The 50-hour training course is part of the assistance provided to returnees by the IOM-managed Guatemalan Repatriates Programme (GRP).  The programme, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), began in 2010 to support their social reintegration.

Axel, who returned in July 2012, said: “The computer course was a great experience and will be a valuable tool for getting a job in Guatemala."  

IOM´s Centre for Referral and Opportunities (CRO) had referred him for a job interview at a call centre because of his English proficiency. But Axel failed the computer test –  a requirement for the position.  The CRO then invited him to participate in the computer course to improve his future opportunities.

“I am not computer illiterate anymore.  The course has been one of the best things that has happened to me," said Axel, who lived in California for 17 years and now wants to use his English language skills to find work in Guatemala.

"This is a tool that this group will need at work because these days everything revolves around computers," said the instructor, Pedro Julio Gonzalez.

As Delbert Field, IOM Guatemala Chief of Mission, noted: “Guatemalans who have returned from abroad are eager to have the opportunity to earn a living to support their families, while working in their own country. The course gives them the skills to find and to keep that job.”

Since its inception in 2010, the GRP has helped in the reintegration of over 2,000 Guatemalans, providing psychosocial assistance, job training and referring candidates to private sector partners.  In addition to call centers, many have found secure employment in construction and restaurants.

The GRP also provides transportation to returnees’ places of origin and free national and international phone calls on arrival in Guatemala. It also includes a special component to provide protection for victims of trafficking.

Last year 40,647 Guatemalans were returned by air from the US. Another 38,514 were returned from México by land. Of the total, approximately 6 per cent were women.

For more information, please contact  

IOM Guatemala’s Communications Office
Tel: +502.231.40.000
Email: iomguatemalapress@iom.int