09.04.2024
IN WHICH SECTORS IS THE DEMAND FOR LABOR THE GREATEST?
Machine operators, tailors and cooks are the most sought-after professionals with professional qualifications at the moment. And among those with higher education or legal capacity, the shortage is greatest among nurses, doctors and teachers. With the first three months of the year behind us, it's becoming increasingly clear how the job market looked last year. Labor hunger persists, and it remains unevenly distributed.
Over the past year, more than half of employers in our country have admitted that they have difficulties in finding employees. Nearly 40% of them indicate the lack of qualified or educated personnel as the reason for this. The data is from the Employment Agency, and the analysis of the Institute of Market Economy confirms it, showing how the vacant job positions last year were 110 thousand more than the people looking for work.
The highest number of unfilled jobs is in the industry, which is predicted to continue in the future. Nearly a third of the vacancies are currently there. The shortage of people in the field of trade, transport, hotels and restaurants is increasingly felt. Experts attribute this to the recovery of these sectors after the pandemic. A quarter of the sought-after employees are there. There is also a deficit in the state administration, in education (mainly schools) and in health care (mainly hospitals). In fourth place in terms of demand is construction, and these are more open new job positions, since this industry does not stop developing. Rounding out the top five is agriculture - with 5% demand.
Among qualified specialists, machine operators are the most in short supply. According to the calculations of the Employment Agency, there are nearly 15,000 vacancies. Nearly 9,000 tailors and nearly as many cooks are also wanted. The group of the first five most scarce specialists closes the builders and waiter-bartenders.
Among specialists with higher education or legal capacity, the largest number of vacancies are for nurses - nearly 5 thousand. According to the professional organizations, the real need for them is many times greater, and perhaps it is this profession that will outline the most serious problem facing the state as far as the shortage of personnel is concerned. Doctors and teachers follow - with a deficit of more than 4,000 people each. Then there are the drivers and guides who carry out international transport. It is certainly news that there is a decline in the demand for information and communication technology specialists, who until recently were most in demand due to the sector growing to impressive proportions.
The demand for labor differs quite a bit in the individual areas of the country - both in terms of quantity and professions. Burgas has the most unfilled jobs - 10% of all demand is there. Sofia and Varna follow, and in both places they are looking for about 26 thousand workers. Plovdiv, where until now there was the greatest hunger for personnel mainly because of the industry, is now in fourth position. Most places lack employees mainly in tourism, trade and transport.
In Burgas and Sofia, the shortages are in construction, and there is a need for personnel in education and health care everywhere. It is impressive that areas known until recently for low demand are now climbing higher in the ranking, mainly due to the developing processing industry in these places. An example is Smolyan, which is already in sixth place in the country. The last position is for Vidin, where just over 1,000 people are wanted.
In 2023, the most new employment was created in health care and social work – the persons employed there are nearly 10% more than a year earlier. The biggest decline was registered in administrative activities, and experts attribute this to changes in the outsourcing industry. By places in the country, compared to 2022, the number of employed people increased the most in Pleven - by 5.5%. There is a decline in nearly half of the districts, but it is most noticeable in Targovishte with nearly 3%.
