Talent for the World

Currently, over 2 billion individuals worldwide are informally employed.

In Latin America, the unemployment rate is 7.9%, but this percentage significantly increases for people of color or women, reaching 13% and 16.4%, respectively (varying by country). This inequality, which has been prevalent throughout history, has led to other challenges such as racism, sexism, and xenophobia, among others. This has resulted in individuals from different communities facing disadvantage, making it difficult for them to access opportunities in education, finance, or employment, thereby depriving them of the tools necessary to transform their lives and improve their realities.

Unemployment is a significant consequence of this inequality, which is among the most significant challenges worldwide, particularly in Latin America. The following three major issues exacerbate this problem:

-Globally, 69% of companies report talent shortages across various industries.

-There are over 16,000 online schools and 500 bootcamps that provide an overwhelming challenge for students wanting to enhance their skills, along with an inadequate selection of programs, resulting in a dropout rate of over 60%.

-Around 70% of the population in Latin America is either unbanked or underbanked.

These three challenges create obstacles for people to access quality education and decent employment opportunities that can help them improve their lives and contribute to society. 

We have created a comprehensive solution to tackle unemployment and provide individuals with the necessary tools to lead their own transformation and the one in  their environment. Our solution combines three key elements - education, financing, and job opportunities - all in one place, with the ultimate goal of improving people's well-being and quality of life.

Education:
Our training programs are designed to meet the demands of high-talent industries, such as digital talent, experience economy, and green jobs, by integrating three elements - soft, hard, and language skills. These elements are customized according to market demand and, to maintain flexibility and adaptability, the second and third components (hard and language skills) are managed by our educational partners who pass rigorous vetting processes. The first component (soft skills) is always managed by PROtalento, allowing individuals to develop their intrapersonal skills to build relationships of trust and care, and to secure fair and engaging jobs. Our training programs are impactful, achieving reflections, transformations, and mobilizations that allow individuals to discover their purpose and align their future aspirations with self-care, care for others, and care for the planet.

Financing:
At PROtalento, we provide access to fair financing, guided by our principle of mutual care for each other and the world. We offer financing solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of individuals, ranging from cash payments and traditional financing through credit cards or banking institutions to income-share agreements based on employment outcomes.

Job Opportunities:
The tangible result of our education is the creation of job opportunities. Our ultimate aim is to enable individuals to dedicate their energy to present activities that offer them well-being, security, and future prospects. We prioritize decent jobs that provide engagement, recognition, growth opportunities, and fair economic compensation.

To achieve this, we undertake the following actions:

-Creation of training programs based on the demand of high-talent markets.
-Specific job training based on deep reflections on purpose and future aspirations.
-Connection of our program participants with job opportunities that are tailored to the unique strengths of each of them
-Partnerships with companies that seek out PROtalento as a solution for recruiting impactful talent.

Lavering existing technologies to power our solution

PROtalento uses existing platforms to run its online training programs such as Zoom,  and has No-Code technology strategy, utilizing a variety of platforms to operate our functions seamlessly.

Our solutions has impacted more than 3000 individuals with the following performance indicators:

1. 80% employability rate

2. 6% dropout rate, compared with the 60% in the market

3. 97% of  individuals taking our programs are financed with our model. 

Our solution serves  the 8 out of 10 individuals  who don't find or are not engaged at their job

Those people mainly:

-Are 18 to 35 years old 

-Are from  low-income households

 -Do not to have the opportunity to access to higher education and then a decent job

-Seek for a career change to improve their life conditions

-Are unemployed and get their first jobs after years of search

PROtalento’s programs are planned to involve communities that have been affected historically by the increasing inequality in our region. We seek to impact women, black people, and indigenous people in different territories where we operate.

We have proved that our model impacts people and their families in many ways ( financially, educationally and socially) by giving them the opportunity to break barriers they had for decades. This is reflected in:

 -Talents having decent jobs  that give financial support to them and their families. This financial incomes is proven that increases notoriously in short periods of time 

-Families income increasing  in 4X 

-The relatives of our talents access to education 

-Poverty indicators dropping in these families  for the first time in decades. Quality life improvement as a secondary effect.

PROtalento has a diverse team with members from different backgrounds and experiences, which provides them with the tools and knowledge necessary to create and implement the best model of education for employability. The team is from different countries  in Latin America and has a deep understanding of the region's culture, challenges, and opportunities.

From working in Google to help to grow the reach of its educational programs, to manage the budget and planning of one of the biggest government entities in Colombia  (SENA),our team has previous professional experiences that contribute to the PROtalento’s building process. 

Our Team is representative of the communities we serve. We understand the importance of engaging with the target population, listening to their needs, and involving them in the design and implementation process of our model.  To achieve this, thanks to the knowledge, network and previous experiences, the team has  implemented a community engagement strategy that includes focus groups, and consultations with community leaders. This strategy has allowed us to understand the needs, aspirations, and expectations of the people who need the tools to develop themselves and enter a path to get their dream job. 

Currently an important number of team members in PROtalento are former students of our programs, who constantly are contributing to the evolution of our programs.

In summary, our team's diversity and proximity to the target population, coupled with our community engagement strategy and inclusive approach, position us to design and deliver a solution that meets the needs of the individuals we serve. We are confident that our program will have a positive impact on the lives of the target population and contribute to addressing the challenges of unemployment in Latin America.

PROtalento´s leaders: 

Juan David Aristizabal: Co-Founder and CEO, previously:
- Recognized in Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs” (2012)
- Co-President of World Wide Forum (2019)
- Qatar Foundation recognized as one of the 19 emerging leaders in education worldwide (2020)
More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juandavidaristi/

Juanita Ordóñez: Co-Founder and Growth, previously:
- Former leader of the Education Vertical for Google SpLatam and responsible for it´s pivot to become top 3 in revenue and growth (2016-2019)
- Co-Founder of Edlatam Alliance the Edtech network of Latam (2020)
-  Mentor, judge and advisor of Endeavor, Google for Startups and Mass Challenge.
More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanitaordonez/

Anibal Yamhure: CFO
Business manager and lawyer, expert in fintech.
More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/an%C3%ADbal-yamhure-ramirez-554b2565/

Camila Gomez: COO
Leading woman in the educational sector, with more than 10 years of experience in educational and social projects in the public sector and NGOs. As well, Literate and Professional in Languages and Sociocultural Studies with a Master's Degree in Bioethics at NYU.

More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camilag%C3%B3mezaf/

Rubith Tuberquia: Controller
Key operational player of SENA the biggest National Learning and Employment Service that offers free training with technical, technological and complementary programs.

More: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubith-ofir-tuberquia-avenda%C3%B1o-9b16111a/

Our product has enabled hundreds of individuals to acquire the necessary tools to secure decent employment and contribute to enhancing and transforming their realities, whether it's in the technology, banking, agricultural, or retail sectors.

We aspire to expand the reach of our solution and enable even more young individuals to access this proven model.

By being a part of the Solve community, we can access knowledge, guidance, and tools to better equip us to take our solution and impact to the next level.

As part of this community, we aim to:

-Connect with world-class leaders and programs to learn and improve our product.
-Receive expert advice and guidance to scale and enhance our model.
-Learn and receive guidance to leverage technology to improve our model and extend our reach to more individuals.
-Identify additional high-demand markets to reach individuals who would otherwise be excluded.
-Expand our network of mentors for our executive team and the participants of our education programs.

Our solution is truly innovative as it incorporates three crucial elements - high-quality education, fair financing, and employment opportunities - into a unified program to tackle the problem of unemployment. Moreover, our training program is designed to impart a broad range of skills such as soft skills, hard skills, and language skills, that can make students more employable and provide them with the tools to impact their communities and workplaces. 

Our focus on untapped territories such as Colombia, Central Region, and South Africa is another distinguishing feature of our approach. This not only provides job opportunities but also has the potential to generate a positive impact on the local economy.

Furthermore, our offering stands out in the market as it is tailored to meet the growing labor demand of SMBs. By providing a curated, specialized training program, we are addressing a gap in the commoditized market of education.

Our program is also intensive and accessible, with an average training period of six months, personalized coaching until employability, and competitive pricing. Additionally, we offer financing options to 97% of students, and the innovative ISA structure 2.0 based on a cooperative approach ensures fair rates and present cash efficiencies.

PROtalento's model is making a positive impact by providing opportunities for individuals who may not have had access to decent jobs otherwise, capitalizing on changes in the labor market and the education system. 

We seek  to create a unique marketplace that brings together high-quality education solutions for anyone seeking employment opportunities. We believe that no one should be turned away, and we are dedicated to identifying the strengths of our students and providing them with tailored offers that meet their needs.

Overall, our solution has the potential to create a paradigm shift in the education and employment sector. By prioritizing the well-being and quality of life of individuals while simultaneously contributing to the local economy, our program can catalyze broader positive impacts.

PROtalento’s Impact Goals for next year: 

People First: Create a trusting and supportive environment, advancing 2 levels in the Gallup pyramid from basic needs to teamwork to promote personal and professional growth.

Sustainable Growth: Achieve 3X growth by increasing bookings from $3.5M USD to $10.5M USD with a gross profit margin of 55% to achieve self-sustainability by 2024.

Impact Education: Maintain a 90% retention and employability rate within a maximum period of 12 months, being the alternative for 8 out of 10  individuals who don't find or are not engaged at their job.

On-demand Scalability: Create a dynamic offering of employability education in Colombia and Central America, leveraging the growing job market, a blended product, and consolidating the B2B channel by 65%, to transcend the Tech demand.

Tech Power: Automate, optimize, and outsource operational processes to achieve a standardized level on the BPMM scale, capitalizing on existing technologies and developments to have a stack that allows us to focus on what we are really good at to improve and grow continuously.

PROtalento’s Impact Goals for next  5 years: 

We aim to become the number one marketplace for education where people can find the best education for employment opportunities. To achieve this our goals are: 

1. Create  and consolidate our  learning communities, in which talents collaborate, interact, become loyal, and consume our programs .

2. Increase the skills of  our community members leveraging the power  AI and other technologies.

3. Create new financial and educational solutions adapted to the realities of our communities.

The impact of our work at PROtalento aligns with multiple SDGs

1. NO POVERTY

4. QUALITY EDUCATION

5. GENDER EQUALITY

8. DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 

10. REDUCED INEQUALITIES 

Metric directly related to SDGs we currently have

• # of talents < 26 years  (SDG #10)

• # of talents employed  (SDG #1, 4 and 8)

• # talents (women) (SDG #5 and 10)

• # < of funded talents (SDG #10)

• # of students (low income) (SDG # 1 and 10)

• Average salary (SDG # 1 and 10)

Other metrics we currently have 

• # of active talents

• # of scholarship talents 

• # of partial scholarship talents

• Average employability time

At PROtalento, we're laying the groundwork to demonstrate the effectiveness of our social mobilization efforts. To this end, we're currently engaged in an impact measurement consultancy process, which will provide us with more detailed metrics to assess our progress. Some of the measurements we'll be able to gather include:

• Increase in money available for average leisure (SDG #1 and 8)
• #< of talents that move from informality to formality   (SDG #1 and 8)
• # of people financially dependent on talent. (SDG #1)
• #< of increased income (SDG # 1, 8 and 10)
• Average Perception of Financial Freedom pre-post program   (SDG #1 and 8)
• # < of Self-confidence increased pre-post program 
• #< talents employed under employment average time

The impact in the short and medium term translates into bringing people who lack access to higher education and formal employment to jobs that help them transform their realities and improve their current conditions with higher income generation and stability.

Employability education has a positive impact on vulnerable people without access to higher education or formal employment. In the short and medium term, this education provides them with jobs with better income, stability, and strengthened socio-emotional skills. In the long term, it helps break generational cycles of economic problems and lack of opportunities, improving financial, educational, and personal development prospects. This is achieved through specialized boot camps, financing with income-sharing agreements, strengthening socio-emotional skills, and job placement.

The best way to show this impact is through the story of the change of our talents. Here is the story of Duvan Villanueva. 

Duvan is a brilliant and smart young man from Sahagún, Córdoba, who was unable to enter higher education. During the pandemic, he worked as a dog walker and earned around $200 USD per month. Duvan joined our training program, where he trained to become a web developer, improved his level of English, and received training in socio-emotional skills that allowed him to strengthen his talents and project himself professionally. Our employability team accompanied him in his transition to the job market, and as a highschool graduate plus our training, Duvan became a developer at Accenture Colombia. In this job, he tripled his income. 

Currently, Duvan is in his second job at DataKnow, a colombian data company and has enrolled in university to study engineering.

With job stability, he was able to improve his living conditions and has plans to pursue a promising career in the world of technology.

This is an example of the hundred we have, where our program give the tools to young people to transform their lives 

PROtalento's core tech strategy is No Code by the integration of systems to build a strong and efficient tech stack. We've managed to integrate Salesforce with our student journey, including several licenses such as credit scoring, cognitive and motivational tests, Docusign, and others. We connect our ecosystem with APIs. 

As summary:

Software: No code with more than 30 third party tech solutions 

Data: Salesforce as the main data platform

Integration: APIs which integrate our tech stack

Additionally, our online training  powered by platforms such as Zoom,  allow us to provide our programs to people in remote places and geographies breaking the location barriers.

Through initiatives in employment and education, PROtalento seeks to advance social equity and economic mobility in Latin America. The organization is dedicated to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout its programs, and has established specific objectives and initiatives to do so.

One of PROtalento's DEI objectives is to grow its workforce, ensure future employee diversity, and make sure that the organization's future employees reflect the communities it serves. To achieve this, PROtalento has mapped a variety of strategies, including:

-Recruiting staff from underrepresented groups

-Providing DEI training

-In the long term conducting regular audits of its hiring and promotion processes to identify and eliminate any biases.

Having its education programs accessible and inclusive for all participants, including those from historically marginalized communities, is another DEI objective of PROtalento. This is accomplished by the organization through its support of people with disabilities, promotion of gender equity within its programs, and provision of financial aid and scholarships to people, particularly those from low-income backgrounds.

PROtalento regularly gathers information on the demographics of program participants and staff in order to monitor progress toward its DEI goals. Then, using this information, new objectives and targets are established for the future as well as ongoing DEI initiatives.

PROtalento's DEI efforts are an ongoing and evolving process. It is  committed to continually reviewing and improving its practices and policies to ensure that it is creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all its stakeholders.

Business Model: Our mission is to develop the talent the world demands through a one-stop access that crosses the demand of hiring talent from companies with the supply of students, bootcamps, financiers and tutors.

We are first-movers as an organization that offers an end-to-end solution to 3 key problems hindering employment:

 (i) Hrtech, tailored training to companies designing our programs based on their hiring needs and demand 

(ii) Edtech, shortened and accessible Higher Education programs with the option to mix curriculums from different bootcamps in one place plus gain english to level B1 to B2 and boost the education path with one-on-one tutoring through our Employability Skills training 

 (iii) Fintech, we finance 97% of our students at fairest rates with our own financing plus key alliances with topmost banks and fintechs

2. Plan on reaching customers: Our focus is 60% on B2B with a one-to-many impact nature since this facilitates engagement with the user and target resulting in an optimization of CAC. An example of this: we started a project in Honduras with around $1M USD of international cooperation resources with the goal to reduce migration to the United States, impacting 16.440 people in a period of 5 years.

The key actions on reaching customer for every projects is to have:

Employer: Companies that will hire the talent

Bootcamps: Online institutions which will train the talent

Financier: Resources to pay that training

Catalyst: Communities database access for promotion

For the B2C component the key actions are:

Earned Media: Promotion on Employers, Bootcamps, Financiers and Catalyst owned and paid media.

Owned Media: Our strategy is based on using our spaces as press media channels.

Paid Media: Brand Performance strategies.

PROtalento's plan for achieving sustainability in 2024-2025 is based on a stable recurring income generated through B2C ISA (Income Share Agreement) payments and B2B closed projects. Our business model aims for each product and project to be self-sustainable with a high gross margin over direct costs and a lean, multifunctional team.

Last year, we had a track record of 3.5 million bookings. To achieve our long-term growth goals, we aim for 2-3X growth rates year over year for the next 3-4 years. We have set a sales goal of 4.5 million USD for services in our B2B and B2B2C channels.

We plan to close over 1,500 ISA agreements this year, with an expected revenue of 1,800 USD each to cover expenses and generate profit. Our gross margin target for this channel is over 67%. The repayment period for students is over 3 years, and we plan to continue building the volume of students in the B2C channel, which operates with minimal costs and a cooperative risk-sharing model.

Our projects are financially sustainable with an average gross margin of 60%, and we plan with only the necessary cost, resources, and teams needed for execution.

We have a strong sales plan focused on bringing new businesses through international cooperation, grants, and partnerships with companies and private foundations in Colombia and Central America. We are also exploring partnerships with local governments for large-scale projects. Our team seeks to create long-lasting partnerships that allow us to have a strong repurchase strategy from current clients.

PROtalento has made significant strides towards achieving financial sustainability. We have received international grants and successfully closed deals with various organizations. Here are some examples of our achievements:

1. Grants received: In 2023, PROtalento was awarded the UBS Tertiary Education Financing Prize, which recognizes and supports financing solutions that enable more young people to access tertiary education. This prize is aimed at improving education outcomes and increasing youth employment.

2. Sustainable business deals: In recent years, we have partnered with organizations from various sectors in different countries to develop sustainable businesses that demonstrate the scalability and profitability of our model. Here are some examples:

• Project with USAID (United States of America Government): We have partnered with USAID to run a project in Honduras, which will  train and employ more than 16,000 people  over the next five years. 
• Project with Colsubsidio: We are working with  the Caja de Compensación Familiar Colsubsidio in Colombia on an  upskilling and employability project for 500 people.
  
  Like these we have multiple projects with companies that aim to tackle unemployment and give to their beneficiaries tools to access better job opportunities.
  
  3.Funding raised: Since our founding, PROtalento has raised $3.9 million in capital from investors such as Alive Acumen, Village Global, Botnar Foundation, New Ventures, Alejandría Mesoamérica, Ventura Family Office, and Mindset Global.