Projects Driving Internationalization and Employment
These initiatives reflect our commitment to job creation, strengthening bilingual talent, and connecting businesses, youth, and academic institutions with local and international opportunities, particularly with the United States.
Sustainable Futures
Partner Entities: Universidad EAFIT and Purdue University
Propósito del proyecto:
A mobility program for outstanding advanced-level students from various academic programs at Purdue University. Over six weeks, 14 young students were in Medellín addressing challenges within local companies and organizations, several of which are AmCham members, including Semco Cosmetics, UNIBAN, Grupo Argos, Offcorss, and CELSIA.
This hands-on experience allowed students from the United States to complete a practical immersion that transcended traditional academic boundaries, moving beyond classrooms and laboratories. For the host companies, it represented an opportunity to expand their ties with the United States, validate internal processes, receive fresh ideas, and further encourage their teams to strengthen their English skills.
Main Impact Indicators:
University students
of academic and business immersion in Medellín
solved at 5 AmCham member companies
Education Trade Mission
Entidad aliada: Commercial Service, International Trade Administration, U.S. Embassy
Project Purpose:
A mission was organized in Medellín featuring 25 higher education institutions and English language academies from the United States. They held meetings with local universities to establish student mobility and scientific cooperation alliances, as well as with companies interested in designing bilingual programs for their employees. Additionally, a U.S. education fair was held for university and high school students.
Main Impact Indicators:
and English academies
explored bilingual training options for employees
established new contacts for academic cooperation
received information about study abroad opportunities
Jobs Exist
Jobs Exist
Sponsoring Entity: Howard G. Buffett Foundation
Partner Entity: Comfenalco Antioquia and Centro Colombo Americano de Medellín
Project Purpose:
Developed between 2022 and 2024, the objective of this program was to promote formal employment for unemployed youth between 18 and 28 years old in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Cartagena.
In Antioquia, the program was coordinated by AmCham Antioquia & Caldas and operated by the Comfenalco Antioquia family compensation fund and the Centro Colombo Americano Medellín.
Comfenalco Antioquia designed and executed an employability pathway that began by identifying the participants’ life purpose and skills, culminating in job placement support within partner companies. Throughout this process, participants attended soft skills strengthening sessions and technical training. For its part, Centro Colombo Americano Medellín provided English language training.
Main Impact Indicators:
were placed in formal jobs across 108 companies.
in soft skills and technical competencies, with 500 accessing English language training.
Bilingual Job Fair
Bilingual Job Fair
Partner Entities: Centro Colombo Americano (Co-organizer); Comfama, Comfenalco, and Mayor’s Office of Medellín (Operators through employment agencies); Manpower, Fundación Universidad de Antioquia, and Protección (Support).
Project Purpose:
In recent years, Medellín and the municipalities of the Aburrá Valley have consolidated themselves as attractive destinations for international companies interested in investing and establishing operations in the region. Additionally, domestic companies are also looking to expand into foreign markets. This dynamic has generated a growing demand for local talent with intermediate and advanced English levels to facilitate interaction with colleagues, suppliers, and clients worldwide.
In response, Centro Colombo Americano Medellín and the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Antioquia & Caldas) have led the Bilingual Job Fair strategy since 2019, with the following goals:
- Stimulate foreign investment in the region by connecting international companies (especially from the U.S.) with the local talent they need.
- Provide citizens with access to new and better professional opportunities.
- Raise awareness about the importance of English proficiency as a key tool for employability and regional competitiveness.
Main Impact Indicators:
2022
and international companies
job openings
registered
attendees
Main Impact Indicators:
2023
and international companies
job openings
registered
attendees
Main Impact Indicators:
2024
and international companies
job openings
registered
attendees
PreciAS
Partner Entity: Aburrá Sur Chamber of Commerce
Project Purpose:
To provide guidance to companies in the southern municipalities of the Aburrá Valley that are in the exploratory or preliminary stages of expanding into the U.S. market. To achieve this, the program consists of several stages: training for internationalization focused on the U.S.; personalized advisory; identification of potential clients, partners, and suppliers; and strategic connections.
Main Impact Indicators:
trained
received personalized advisory
established strategic business connections