Costa Rica

DHL Costa Rica to Expand



The international shipping company DHL announced this week plans to expand its Costa Rican operations that will create some 500 new jobs by February 2008.

The company said that it plans to move some of its operations from the United States to Costa Rica. DHL Costa Rica general manager, Rodrigo Quirós, was quoted in daily La República as saying that the company was pleased with the results of its call centre operations in the country and the reason for the expansion.

The expansion plans include adding another call centre for its internal administrative work and will be hiring 500 people to fill the jobs.

The employees will be required to to know English and have a background in customer service.

Quirós added that cost factors and Costa Rica's proven labour market influenced their decision.

The expansion is expected to be completed by February at its offices in La Aurora de Heredia, a short distance East of the Plaza Cariari.

Currently 2.200 people work at the DHL facility with serves as the company's Central American headquarters.

DHL has been growing in Costa Rica by leaps and bounds, last year alone it experienced a 35% growth over the previous year.

DHL, in addition to its international package and document delivery, operates a national delivery system that can pick and deliver a package just about anywhere in the country.

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posted by Costa Rica real estate @ 10:29 AM    

Ticos Losing Jobs For Not Speaking English



The government of Oscar Arias says it is concerned that many Costa Ricans are losing jobs because they can't speak English, this in the face of a number of new companies coming into Costa Rica to set up business.

Many young Ticos continue unemployed when they could be working if only they could speak English, is the object of an analysis of the Consejo de Gobierno (cabinet) that held its session at the home of president Arias in Rohrmoser yesterday.

Arias has been incapacitated this past week, twisting an ankle, and on doctor's advice to rest, decided to hold his cabinet meeting at home, where in reality he has greeted visiting dignitaries and celebrities like Mel Gibson, rather than at Casa Presidencial.

"The country is facing a problem, about how the greatest number of people, especially the young so that they can learn English and the importance of how to meet the needs of the companies that would like to come to the country to invest and the need for qualified personnel and especially that they can speak English", said the ministro de la presidencia, Rodrigo Arias.

Minister Arias emphasized the case of Hewlett Packard that began operations in Costa Rica with only 160 employees that spoke English fluently and now employees 5.000 and is still in need of 2.000 more.

"The country is facing a serious problem because we do not have the quantity of young people that can speak the foreign language", said minister Arias.

Given the problem, the government will be supporting the efforts of the Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP) and the Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA) - national appreniceship institute - to offer more English programs.

The sceond vice-president, Kevin Casa, has been given the job coordinating the efforts of the group and is to report within 15 days with a proposal to face the problem and measures to be taken by the government to meet the demands of business.

For his part, the minister of education, Leonardo Garnier, said that his ministry has been working on the problem. along with the INA and the foreign trade ministry.

Minister Garnier said he recognizes that teaching English has to be strengthened in the colleges in the medium and long term with the objective of ensuring that the young are ready to meet the job opportunities.

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posted by Costa Rica real estate @ 10:58 AM    

Cost Of Living in Costa Rica



According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) - national statistics and census institute - the cost of living in Costa Rica increased by 0.7% during the month of August.

The increase is included in the Índice de Precios al Consumidor (IPC) - consumer pricing index - which in real terms means that the cost of living increased by ¢70 colones on purchases of the same items costing ¢10.000 colones the month earlier.

The accumulated inflation for this year (January to August) is pegged at 6.36%, an amount lower than the same period last year, when it was 7.22%.

According to figures given out by the INEC, during the month August, the cost of gasoline, eggs, mild, electricity and "los casados" (sandwiches) were responsbile for the increased cost of living.

In the case of mil, Dos Pinos, the largest milk co-operative, increase the cost of a litre of milk by ¢20 colones.

In contrast, tomatoes, potatoes and green peppers all dropped in price as well as tourism sector services like hotels.

The Canasta Básica (basic food basket) is made up of 292 products and services, of which 210 increase in price during the month of August over July, while 58 dropped and 24 remained the same.

Meanwhile, the inflation for the period between September 2006 and August 2007 was 8.56% which is one of the lowest rates of inflation during the last decade.

The government, by way of the Banco Central de Costa Rica (Central Bank) has projected the inflation rate for 2007 at 8% and is expected to stay the same for 2008.

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posted by Costa Rica real estate @ 6:26 PM