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Reinventing the Tech World: Why Costa Rica Makes Assemble Even Better
Over the years we’ve been asked why we picked Costa Rica as the location for our technology team and why it is so important to have a local office there. In fact, when we first started Assemble, most organizations were going to Asia and Eastern Europe for their technology resources as we looked and focused our efforts in Latin America.
And that was years ago, when a solo developer could build an adequate website using just two language programs. Developers were able to learn a majority of these skills in their college coursework, and recruiting these individuals was much simpler, and less costly, for companies.
Today, high-end websites and comprehensive online campaigns require extremely specialized expertise from a whole team of engineers. In order to create a superior customer experience, your development team needs to be skilled in emerging technologies like Augmented Reality and AI, or you’re behind the game.
So when we’re asked why Assemble chose to open an office in Costa Rica, the answer couldn’t be more simple: having a foothold in the country to provide our customers with even more access to a best-in-class technology team. Paired with our first-rate project managers here in the US, we’re creating a synergized organization that provides a truly unparalleled experience for our clients.
Let us tell you a little more about the booming tech scene in Costa Rica, and how it’s made our team one of the best.
It’s THE Technology Hub of Central America
Ranking #1 for innovation in Latin America, according to The World Economic Forum, Costa Rica has been called the “Silicon Valley” of the region due to the strength of its developer community. The country has created an innovative culture and startup ecosystem that has enticed many companies to establish development centers there, reporting over $3.3 billion in IT-related services in 2018.
Costa Rica’s tech community also pursues certifications also available to North American businesses – like PMP, Six Sigma, and ITIL. It’s not only aligned its business practices and dedication to science and technology with American culture, but it’s determined to maintain its leadership in IT services and tech startups with government sponsored programs that create more opportunities in the tech world for students, women, low-income households, and more.
The Tech Education is Top-Notch
Boasting some of the highest literacy rates in the world (96%) and #1 in English proficiency in Latin America, Costa Rican tech teams are not only comprised of educated, English-speaking individuals, but they’ve graduated from some of the best tech universities in all of Central America. With 23 specialized, technical academic programs developed in just the last decade, Costa Rica has made a huge commitment to free, universal education to all its citizens – and it’s really paid off.
In the last 70 years, they’ve created a strong collaboration between universities and industries to best prepare for the digital revolution with the highest scores in quality tech education in Latin America. Costa Rica ranks ahead of Ireland, France, South Korea, and India in skills for the future workforce, producing an increasing number of highly-trained individuals year after year with over 55,000 expected to graduate university in 2022.
The Talent.
Despite its size, Costa Rica has top-of-the-line programming skills across a range of in-demand languages, including:
- HTML
- PHP ASP.NET
- Java
- NodeJS
- ReactJS
- Python
- Typescript
- C#
- Vuejs
- Angular
Their growing pool of highly-trained engineers rank #1 in highest-quality service talent and digital tech skills in Latin America, while also leading the region in human capital.
Blending its industry-leading innovation, solid infrastructure, and culture of stability, Costa Rica’s talent pool offers what many other outsourced countries can’t. So as the tech talent gap continues to widen in the US, Costa Rica is becoming the target for some of the best minds in the business.
You Can Work in Real-Time.
Let’s face it, no one wants a meeting at 6am or 10pm, and no one likes waiting 24+ hours for feedback. Whether it’s communicating with clients or collaborating with team members, Costa Rica’s central time zone is ideal for a workflow that runs smoothly across all parties on both US coasts. Especially for an integrated team in multiple locations, real-time collaboration is the difference between hitting tight deadlines and losing clients.
You’re in Seriously Good Company
The benefits of nearshoring in Costa Rica are definitely not a secret anymore. So far over 300 high-tech companies have set up operations in Costa Rica, and 24% of those companies are Fortune 100 companies – like IBM, HP, Intel, and Microsoft. In addition to tech giants, other well-known companies like Finish Line and NBC have also leveraged development teams there to take advantage of this unparalleled expertise and strong worth ethic.
More Benefits to Costa Rica Nearshoring
- 30-50% Labor Savings
Major cost reductions for outsourcing IT talent to CR vs. in the States, which allows for more opportunities and room for growth - Geographical Proximity
Central time zone & over 1,000 flights weekly, so there’s no delay in receiving feedback - Cultural Compatibility
Similar business practices & familiarity in Western methodology, so nothing gets lost in translation - Highest Educated Workforce in Latin America
With the highest scores in quality tech education, graduating more than 3,000 each year from their universities - Top-of-the-Line Programming Skills
#1 in digital tech skills & future workforce in LA, boasting $3.3 billion in IT-related services in 2018 - #1 for Quality Human Resources in the World
Beating out Ireland, France and Korea to build the highest-quality teams - Highest Internet Penetration
With one of the most developed broadband networks in Central America, making interruptions extremely uncommon - Safest Country in the Region
Known as “Switzerland” of LA, recognized for political stability, democracy & peace - Flexible Labor Laws
24×7 operations, allowing workers to easily adjust to US work hours, holidays
Opening Assemble Costa Rica and attracting some of the best coders and developers in Costa Rica was a no-brainer for us. Top-quality service talent and digital tech skills join our world-class project managers in the States, resulting in increased speed to market at significant savings. With our partnerships solidified Assemble continues to be an unstoppable force in digital advertising production.