Employment Opportunities for Migrants and Incarcerated Individuals
In Jalisco, Mexico, the Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social (STyPS) offers formal employment to migrants, cancer survivors, and incarcerated individuals through its Social Employability programs. These initiatives provide economic income and vocational training, enabling participants to reintegrate into the job market upon release.
Prisoners’ Employment Opportunities
With approximately 13,000 individuals in Jalisco’s state prisons, the STyPS has created around 900 jobs in both male and female facilities. These opportunities include producing promotional items, creating collectible gifts for fast-food chains, and working in poultry farms or hydroponic lettuce farms.
- In the reclusorio of Ciudad Guzmán, a new project involves working in a chicken farm and a hydroponic lettuce farm, generating around 60 jobs.
- Other workshops within prisons focus on furniture making, alebrije crafting, artisanal production, and candy packaging.
The STyPS model has garnered attention from the federal government, which aims to replicate its success nationwide.
Employment for Migrants
The STyPS offers 500 formal job positions monthly to refugees, providing them with official documents like CURP and identification. This enables employers to offer formal employment and enroll them in the Mexican banking system, granting access to a payroll card.
Through a partnership with the National Immigration Institute (INM) and ACNUR, migrants receive refugee status, facilitating their connection to formal employment. The majority of these migrants are Central Americans, with smaller percentages from the Caribbean and other regions.
Key sectors interested in hiring refugees include agroindustry and manufacturing.
Reintegration for Cancer Survivors and Mental Health Awareness
The STyPS also supports women who have overcome cancer by linking them with local businesses for formal employment, ensuring access to social security and legal benefits. This program aims to prevent informal work.
Additionally, the department collaborates with unions, businesses, employers, and civil society to raise awareness about depression, affecting around 8% of adults. The goal is to recognize depression’s symptoms and provide support.
Job Fairs
Gabriel Arias Salles, director of the Servicio Nacional de Empleo Jalisco (SNEJ), reported that the organization conducted 14 job fairs and micro-fairs in various municipalities, including Guadalajara, Zapopan, Tlajomulco, El Salto, Tala, Autlán, Arandas, and Teocaltiche. These events connected over 200 companies offering 8,500 positions with approximately 6,400 attendees.
Of those attended, 1,800 secured formal employment. For the second half of 2022, SNEJ plans to host 16 more job fairs in Puerto Vallarta, Tepatitlán, Lagos de Moreno, Zapotlán El Grande, Ocotlán, Guadalajara, Cihuatlán, Chapala, Tonalá, Tlaquepaque, and Atotonilco, involving 420 companies.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the STyPS Social Employability programs? These initiatives offer formal employment opportunities to migrants, cancer survivors, and incarcerated individuals, providing economic income and vocational training.
- How many jobs are created for prisoners in Jalisco? Approximately 900 jobs have been generated across male and female prison facilities.
- What sectors are interested in hiring refugees? Agroindustry and manufacturing are key sectors seeking to employ refugees.
- What support does the STyPS provide to cancer survivors? The department links women who have overcome cancer with local businesses for formal employment, ensuring access to social security and legal benefits.
- What mental health awareness campaign is the STyPS involved in? The department collaborates with unions, businesses, employers, and civil society to raise awareness about depression.
- How many job fairs has the SNEJ conducted? The SNEJ organized 14 job fairs and micro-fairs in various municipalities, connecting over 200 companies with approximately 6,400 attendees.
