Qualified Labor: Supply and Demand

Perspectives

Project: Attractive Vocational Guidance for Pupils/@VGP

24 September 2010Sofia

Objectives of the Survey To examine the current labor market status and

potential;

To identify the labor market needs for labor force with specific professional qualifications and educational profile;

To outline industry specific tendencies for qualification and skills;

More specifically

Current job vacancies Practice of recruiting vocational and

technical high schools graduates Employers’ assessment of quality of

education in VET

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Labor Market Update

Total employment in Bulgaria shrank to 3.1 million people in the 12 months to June 2010. That is a decline of over 200,000 jobs compared to a year ago.

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5

Total Employment in Bulgaria

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Job Losses Concentrated in:

1/ Private sector,

2/ Labor-contract employment,

3/ Manufacturing.

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Segments of Labor Demand

Basic positions (demand for which can be met by unqualified labor)

Middle skillset positions (which require certain qualities and skills, but not necessarily specialized knowledge)

Positions requiring specialized knowledge

Management positions

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Wage Rise in 2010

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Employment distribution

Segments of Labor Supply

according to the List of professions for VET, divided in following broader categories:

1/ staff with qualifications in the filed of techniques, technologies and transport

2/ staff with qualifications in the field of construction

3/ staff with qualifications in the field of finance, business administration and marketing

4/ staff with qualifications in the field of services

5/ staff with qualifications in the field of arts and crafts

6/ staff with qualifications in the field of agriculture and food processing industry

7/ staff with qualifications in the field of healthcare

Core Skills Importance Importance of core skills from employers’

perspective: - social and communication skills - administrative skills - foreign language skills - ICT skills (computer literacy) - willingness to learn - flexibility/adaptability - technical skills - others

Importance of core skills from employers’ perspective

Labor Demand Expectations Employers’ expectations for the future labor

market demand: - expected increase in demand for

certain job positions in the next 3-5 years - expected difficulties in finding

adequately trained personnel for certain job positions in the next 3-5 years

- expected shortage of labor supply in the next 3-5 years

- estimated needs for “importing” qualified workers

Key findings from the survey

The most optimistic employment prospects are registered regarding security personnel (38%), transport and trade (36%), polygraphy (31%), intermediation (25%) and construction (16%);

The employers’ expectations are for fastest growing employment in positions requiring technical qualifications (appr. ¼ of surveyed companies);

High employment dynamics are expected also for staff with qualifications in the field of finance, business administration and marketing;

Among the least demanded positions are those in the area of art and crafts, as well as in the field of healthcare and sports

Supply of labor with adequate qualities and skills in a case of business expansion

The most demanded professions in 2008-2010

For middle skillset positions:

salespersons and demonstrators (4635)

tailors (3296)

cooks (2060)

real estates agents/brokers (1957)

The most demanded professions in 2008-2010

For positions requiring specialized knowledge:

machinery mechanics and fitters (4635)

construction engineers (1442)

nurses (1442)

construction technicians (1339)

Thank you!

stoeff@iwatchbulgaria.com

www.iwatchbulgaria.com