Reybanpac and Wong Foundation committed to generating opportunities in Ecuador's agribusiness sector

Reybanpac and the Wong Foundation have launched the Program of Technical Labor Skills for Technical Assistants in Banana Crop Management and Control, whose main objective is to develop the skills of young people between the ages of 18 and 29 for their rapid insertion into the banana sector.

This free program seeks to respond to the need for young people from rural communities in the provinces of Los Ríos and Santo Domingo to enter the labor market, as many of them do not have access to higher education or training opportunities to boost their professional futures. According to the 2023 Accountability Report of Ecuador's Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (SENESCYT), the gross enrollment rate in higher education at the national level reached only 39.5% last year.

This initiative also seeks to meet the growing demands of the banana sector. “Producing companies increasingly require more and more highly skilled personnel, capable of reducing the on-the-job learning curve and increasing productivity. At the same time, young people need accessible opportunities that allow them to develop key skills for their labor market insertion. Business sustainability is intrinsically linked to territorial sustainability, creating a virtuous circle of development and progress,” says Ricardo Romero, director of the Wong Foundation.

The program for banana technical assistants lasts 450 hours (5 months) and is dual: 70% practical (on Reybanpac farms) and 30% theoretical (in virtual sessions). In each module, students acquire technical skills in specialized agricultural work, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.

“With this, it is expected that, at the end of the training, the young person will be able to perform functions as a technical assistant in the management and control of banana cultivation, applying good agricultural practices in the sector, with skills for effective communication, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and timely decision making in the labor field. Technical education is fundamental to fostering the development of a formal and sustainable economy in our rural communities,” said Romero.

The program is part of AGROFUTURO, a macro-project that also includes the Technical Baccalaureate in agricultural production. It has been implemented at the Dr. Segundo Wong Educational Unit since the 2024-2025 school year and is aimed at students between 15 and 18 years of age.