Economic growth can help the poor either through the creation of decent jobs and income-generating opportunities or through social services expenditures that are dependent on government revenues. Today, however, neither is occurring in Guatemala to the extent necessary to reverse recent increases in poverty.

This analysis identifies specific subsectors of potential economic growth in Guatemala. The sector selection undertaken for this assessment was a rigorous exercise, and it should be iterative; as the economy grows and changes and new information becomes available, the analysis will need to be updated. Furthermore, the
assessment is far from exhaustive, as there are very promising subsectors beyond the ones analyzed here.

Lastly, the assessment aimed to help technical training institutions and local stakeholders become familiar with value chain maps and learn how to develop and analyze them—and in so doing, build local capacity for analysis and action that will reach far beyond the findings of this document. This ability will allow local stakeholders to detect and evaluate how economic opportunities and relationships between market actors will drive skills needs—not only today but also in the future. For educational institutions to better address the needs of these businesses, they must first talk to them. Currently, the connections between academia and the private sector in the target region are few and weak. The current assessment can provide a common understanding among parties so they can initiate, and maintain, a conversation about how the technical education system can better respond and adapt to the needs of employers