With over 80,000 people directly and indirectly employed in Puerto Rico’s biosciences sector, the island relies heavily on a skilled and stable workforce to maintain its competitive edge. But it faces a tough talent landscape: the median age of the local workforce is rising, and post-hurricane migration, combined with global competition, has deepened shortages in critical fields like engineering, advanced manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. Against this backdrop, stakeholders across the value chain – from medtech to pharma, logistics construction, and communications – are doubling down on talent development and retention as a strategic priority.

 

Medtech Manufacturing: Laying the Path to Management

Migna Fontan of medtech manufacturer Viant Medical outlines how her organisation retains talent in a highly competitive environment.

“Viant has a comprehensive human resources strategy focused on talent retention. We focus on development and work closely with our associates to create career development plans in collaboration with their supervisors. Through our emphasis on career ladders, which provide a clear path for advancement, we have supported numerous success stories of employees growing from entry-level roles to management positions.

“Recognition and performance-based rewards are also essential to our retention strategy. This includes site-level awards and corporate-level Value Awards, which highlight outstanding contributions across the entire organisation, ensuring associates’ hard work and positive impact is recognised and celebrated.”

 

A Commitment to Professional Development

Yolanda Lassalle of global consulting firm LaSalle Group explains how talent development has become a core part of her firm’s service package.

Around 2011 or 2012, a university approached me to teach Lean Six Sigma. I accepted, and that experience changed everything. Teaching became a passion, and it is now a core part of our firm. Whenever we work with a client, we aim to leave a legacy by upskilling their people so they can sustain the transformation in the long run.

LaSalle Academia is transitioning to LaSalle Talent Development and Innovation Center and offers over 30 certification programmes, covering areas like supply chain, project management, Lean Six Sigma, and regulatory compliance. It is a workforce development initiative open to any organisation looking to enhance its talent.

Importantly, this is not just training. We focus on competency development, where the client ends up with the benefit of people able to execute with the knowledge acquired.

 

Professionalising the Construction Workforce

DDD Group, a construction firm specialising in complex sectors including pharma, has worked to populate, professionalise and upskill the construction sector in Puerto Rico through a dedicated foundation, explains President Umberto Donato.

“One of the key initiatives we have launched is the AGC Workforce Development Foundation, which aims to address the talent shortage in Puerto Rico. This foundation created the island’s first open-shop registered apprenticeship system, which is a significant milestone as previous programmes were only specific to individual companies. Through this apprenticeship programme, we offer workers the opportunity to learn on the job, with pay increases as they advance in their training. They also receive a US Department of Labor credential, which is valid across the United States and its territories.

“This programme benefits both employees and employers. It helps develop a better-trained workforce and provides employees with skills that increase their earning potential. We aim to incentivise the younger generation to enter the construction industry, where there’s stiff competition from other sectors like pharmaceuticals, technology, and media. Many of our skilled workers are nearing retirement, with a significant portion of the workforce being over 40, so attracting new talent is crucial.

“Through this foundation, we are offering not just a job, but a career in construction. We have already started the first cohort of 50 apprentices, and we plan to run these cohorts regularly. The programme is an essential tool to close the workforce gap, which currently stands at about 80,000 workers, with half of them not in the formal workforce. This is an ongoing effort, and we’ve been working on it for the past three years, with full operational plans now in place.

“The response from the industry has been positive, and we’ve seen collaboration from competitors, which is unique in Puerto Rico’s construction sector. This collective effort is crucial in addressing the workforce challenges post-Hurricane Maria and during the pandemic. Our focus is on professionalising the workforce, ensuring they have the training and certifications to succeed.”

 

Logistics: A Competitive Offering

For Sascha Herzig, president and CEO of logistics player ETH Cargo, a competitive and differentiated offering is key to securing and retaining top talent.

“Access to skilled personnel is a challenge, not just in Puerto Rico, but globally. From my recent travels to conferences in Dallas and Vienna and conversations with colleagues in the logistics industry, it’s clear that talent shortages are a common issue across many countries. The key to managing this, at least in logistics, is being competitive in what you offer to employees. Compensation, flexibility, and benefits like hybrid work options can go a long way in attracting and retaining talent.

“The younger generation, in particular, has different expectations for their work environment compared to older generations. They tend to value work-life balance, flexibility, and purpose in their roles. Adapting to these new expectations can be a challenge for companies that are used to more traditional workplace structures. However, this shift is inevitable as younger generations enter the workforce, and it’s something companies need to embrace if they want to stay competitive. At E.T.H. Cargo, we recognise these changes and are focused on offering an environment that meets the evolving needs of our employees. It’s about creating a workplace where they feel valued, motivated, and aligned with our goals.”

 

People, Passion, Purpose

Ivelisse Casillas of PMC Health Group, formerly Pharmacon, leads a team of 20 – many of whom have worked with her for over a decade – in delivering integrated healthcare communications. She explains why a passion for the field is key to retaining top professionals.

“I am extremely passionate about what I do. For me, this is not merely a job — it is a way of life. I love the health sector. I understand its vital importance. You often do not realise just how critical health is until you no longer have it.

“That awareness fuels my desire to keep evolving — to discover new ways of communicating with patients, of negotiating with clients, of remaining relevant. I invest in training our people so that every interaction with a client brings fresh ideas and creativity. No two days are the same in this line of work. Each day, you must reinvent yourself. And of course, we face intense competition, inflation, and economic challenges — reinvention is necessary if you want to remain relevant.

“Over the years, the team here has become another key source of inspiration. We are a team of 20 people, and some of my colleagues have been with me for many years. PMC, under my leadership, has worked with 13 of the 15 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. That is an immense source of pride for us. That longevity is a real competitive advantage for PMC. They are experts in their fields, and that continuity and shared commitment have become part of my passion as well. That is why our mantra is: our people, our passion, our purpose.”