Software development is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Baja California. Your mind probably thinks about beaches, vineyards, industrial complex, and manufacturing. In the last 10 years, Baja has worked its way to become the premier option for nearshore software development for the world. Not only will you find great iOS developers or Android developers, but a wide option of IT talents with a great tech stack ready to develop your software.
The outsourcing phase of nearshore
The trend of doing Nearshore in Baja as a business began like all software development in Mexico. An outsourcer came into the state and began establishing BPO Centers, more specifically call centers. These trends made people take an interest in activities related to outsourcing.
Companies like Softtek and Advancio gave the first steps to change outsourcing in the region. They adopted the term Nearshore Outsourcing for the first time. This made it interesting for developers, now they could work with companies in the same time zone and be part of a staff augmentation strategy.
Now they were working on specific projects. They were free to add to these projects, making a real impact with their ideas and energy. Consequently, yhe people at the top saw the talent and gave them the chance to test themselves.
This was the origin of nearshore outsourcing. It was a mix of old development practices with agile methods with a focus on the client and their needs.
Why Baja for nearshore software development?
Back in 2002, the Mexican government and universities began working on training skilled developers to tackle the upcoming demand. Baja decided to open its doors to everyone with an interest in software development.
Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada served as focal points for tech and industry. Each city took a different approach to development. For example, Ensenada focused on health and commerce.
Baja California software development is a mix of outsourcing and cutting-edge trends. Accordingly, many developers travel to California expos and tech events to get a first-hand experience of the newest trends.
Following this, some of the key factors that make Baja an interesting place to do software development are:
- Weather conditions
- Real estate development
- Talent
IT talent everywhere
The state universities made it possible for people of all backgrounds to become software engineers. Young Millennials flocked to the different universities in the region to get training. So students found themselves competing on a global scale in part due to global platforms and support.
Some of the key universities in the state are:
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC)
- Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (Cetys Universidad)
- Technology College (Tecnologico de Tijuana)
Working conditions for software developers
With San Diego just a stone’s throw away, development teams are already quickly acclimated to the best practices and customs for North American software development. Following organizations, master plans become easier to follow and understand. Here are some tips we wrote about what to expect from your remote developer.
The key working conditions that make Baja Development attractive are:
- High cultural compatibility
- Time zone alignment
- Language alignment
- Cultural alignment
Conclusion
The hunt for talent is a global challenge for companies all around the world. If you’ve ever wondered where to find people that can understand you and your company, give Baja California a try. So, the closeness with the United States and California has allowed Baja developers to seamlessly adapt to cloud computing and distributed teams as their second nature. They can pick up remote work quickly and efficiently with US working guidelines since the language isn’t a problem.
