Current export industries are suffering a catastrophic lack of workforce, meanwhile, salaries of qualified specialists increase and, in time, they could reach the level in the European Union, managers of different industry associations admit.
«Last year was noted with a catastrophic lack of workers. However, introducing information technology to the unemployed is an «impossible task»,»- says Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association President Signe Balina.
She believes that the most effective strategy would be to use current human resources wisely, or to import the required specialists from foreign countries.
«Unfortunately, the number of people is not increasing in Latvia. Even if babies are born and there is a demographic explosion, we will still need to wait 20-25 years for there to be any impact on the job market. It is very characteristic for many specialists living in Latvia not to be working on the local market, instead working for Scandinavia, USA etc., programming for national companies. We are an industry with the third largest salary in Latvia, and the reason is quite simple – we need to pay, or else people will leave,»- Balina admits.
President of the Latvian mechanical engineering and metalworking Association Vilnis Rantins also agrees that his represented industry lacks qualified specialists.
«Even in the region with the largest unemployment rate – Latgale – it is hard to find a willing specialist. If there is no other option, we will import specialists from abroad. Like it or not, we will need to reach European salary standards. They may be a bit smaller than those in Europe, but we have no alternatives,»- Rantins pointed.
«It should be clear to everyone that if we do not notably increase salaries, there will be even less workers. Woodworking relies more and more on high-tech, which, in turn, requires qualified specialists to operate. On top of that, workforce price will undoubtedly increase this year and next year. The main challenge of industries right now – is to maintain competitiveness in spite of increasing workforce expenses,»- notes Latvian Forest Industry Federation Executive Director Kristaps Klaus.
Chairman of the Board of Latvian Road Carriers Association Latvijas Auto Valdis Trezins said that the industry lacks such seemingly simple professions like driver.
«Right now, we can offer employment to almost 1000 drivers, but there are no appropriate candidates. In Soviet times, drivers were being trained in other systems as well, for example, in the army. Now, there is no system, everything is on the responsibility of businessmen and people, but this does not solve the problem. Therefore, we should think nationally and, with the help of professional technical education, prepare workers not only in the processing industry, but in the transit industry as well. If this is not done, then we will be forced to invite foreigners. Even now, we have Belarusians, Russians, even Bulgarians work in every second company,»- Trezins concluded.