Grupo Argos Foundation, Globant, Fundación Fomento a la Educación, and Comfama foster talent in Southwestern Antioquia: 25 young people graduate from SUROTEC

• The program contributes to closing gaps in access to education and employment opportunities in technology across the region.
• Twenty-five young people graduated from the first cohort, 10 of whom have already been hired by Globant and are now participating in projects for global companies.
• SUROTEC promotes local rootedness by connecting regional talent with remote work opportunities of international reach.

Grupo Argos Foundation continues to strengthen its commitment to the sustainable development of territories. This month, in partnership with Globant, Fundación Fomento a la Educación, and Comfama, it held the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of SUROTEC, a program that trains young people in technology and software development to strengthen the productive ecosystem of Southwestern Antioquia.

In this cohort, 25 young people from Andes, Jericó, La Pintada, Santa Bárbara, Támesis, Tarso, Titiribí, and Valparaíso graduated, and now have the technical and practical skills needed to access job opportunities in the technology industry.

SUROTEC was created as a response to three major challenges in the region: the migration of young people due to limited access to higher education, the disconnect between training and employment opportunities in rural areas, and the concentration of talent in urban centers, which limits regional economic development.

“With SUROTEC, we are showing that talent has no geography. When we bring relevant education closer and connect young people with real employment opportunities, we help positively transform their lives and the future of their territories.”

María Camila Villegas
Executive Director
Grupo Argos Foundation

Thanks to this partnership, the program combines technical training with projects applied to real needs in the territory and the business sector, allowing participants to gain hands-on experience from the training stage onward.

To date, the results reflect the potential of the model:

• 10 young people have already been hired by Globant and are participating in projects for international companies such as Royal Caribbean, Quiddiya (Saudi Arabia), and banking sector institutions in Peru and Colombia.
• 4 are continuing their education as software development technologists with SENA, further strengthening their professional profile.
• 2 are completing their internships at Globant, consolidating their transition into the workforce.

These achievements show how access to technology training, combined with remote work, opens global opportunities for young people in rural areas, a growing trend in the digital economy.

“I feel immensely happy and grateful to all the people and organizations that made this opportunity possible. Today, I feel a great responsibility to continue strengthening my skills and putting them at the service of those who are still studying and still believing in this collective dream called SUROTEC.”

Sara Olaya
Student, First SUROTEC Cohort

The SUROTEC model is built on two pillars: education and employment. On the one hand, it aligns educational offerings with the needs of the surrounding environment; on the other, it connects young people with companies and projects that allow them to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts.

In addition, the program promotes the development of technological solutions for local entrepreneurs and companies, strengthening the competitiveness of the region and generating a virtuous cycle of talent, innovation, and economic growth.

Through initiatives like this, Grupo Argos Foundation reaffirms its commitment to generating social value, advancing relevant education, and promoting sustainable development by creating opportunities that allow young people to build their life projects.