The Latvian labor market is currently at a crossroads, writes Latvijas Avīze.
On one hand, demographic pressure and a severe labor shortage force entrepreneurs to compete for every worker. On the other hand, the younger generation is entering the labor market with a different value system and demands that the older generation does not always understand or accept. While some sectors attract youth better, in others the prospects are quite bleak.
Theoretically, the Latvian labor market is now more open than ever, including for young people. As noted by Liāne Voronko, a representative of the Latvian Confederation of Employers, there are currently about 800,000 workers in the country, but for society to function properly, at least 900,000 to 930,000 are needed. However, there is a gap between the desired and the actual.
"It can be said that our labor market is relatively open to young people, but its 'friendliness' can be questioned. Finding the first job in their field remains a significant challenge for young people. Why? Because employers in Latvia still prefer already trained employees. Even for vacancies advertised as entry-level or 'junior', two to three years of experience is often required, which a young person cannot physically obtain immediately after graduation," said leadership development expert Olga Dzenē from Figure Baltic Advisory.
The choice of profession among young people often diverges from the sectors where investments and jobs will be concentrated in the future. These conclusions are based on a survey of youth in secondary schools conducted by the Latvian Education Accelerator at the end of last year. The greatest interest is observed in sectors with limited growth potential. For example, about 19% of young people want to work in creative industries (art, design, music), although the share of these sectors in Latvia's gross domestic product (GDP) is only about 2-3%. 14% of young people plan a career in sports, while the contribution of this sector to GDP is less than 1%. Meanwhile, strategically important sectors remain overlooked by youth. The manufacturing sector, which accounts for 13-14% of GDP, interests only about 8% of young people, transport and logistics (GDP share 8-9%) - 7%, and the forestry and logging industry, which is one of the pillars of Latvian exports (GDP share 6-7%), attracts only 3% of youth. The energy sector, whose importance is increasing in the context of security and the 'green' transition, is also not particularly interesting to young people.
