SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — The lack of enough workers is forcing the maquiladora industry in Tijuana to consider hiring minors to fill job openings at plants and factories throughout the region.

Obdulia Rodríguez, vice president of Tijuana’s Human Resources Association, said it’s time to “incorporate” 16- and 17-year-olds into the labor force.

She was referring to those who “don’t work or study.”

Rodríguez said this would also be a way to generate income for those who are trying to go to school but are in danger of dropping out due to the lack of financial support.

“We need this type of collaboration allowing them to be productive while drawing an income,” said Rodríguez. “They could also help support their families and it would reduce the crime rate since a lot of young people without work often fall into criminal activities due to the lack of job opportunities.”

According to Mexican law, minors who are employed can’t work more than six hours a day and those hours can’t be continuous, they have to be in 3-hour increments separated by a break.

“We are very respectful of the workers’ rights, we’re not looking for this to be problematic, we’re trying to figure out how to help these young people who may want to work while studying and perhaps they haven’t been offered an opportunity due to their age,” Rodríguez said.

Rodríguez said in the first quarter of 2023, the maquiladora industry went through a lack of a workforce.

She stated there are currently 14,000 job openings in factories throughout Tijuana not counting another 2,100 in businesses that provide support and resources for maquiladoras.