The labor market in Ruse with growing needs and new opportunities
According to the latter Nationally Representative Survey of Workforce Needs, conducted by the Employment Agency, in Ruse and the country as a whole there will be a serious demand for personnel in several key sectors. This analysis summarizes business expectations for the next 12 months and clearly outlines the demand for certain skills and occupations.
General trends for the country
For 2024 employers in Bulgaria are looking for approx 261,926 workers and specialists, which represents 2.6% down from the previous year. The most serious demand is expected in the following sectors:
- Construction – with over 22,719 positions claimed, including form workers, masons, installers and construction technicians.
- Tailoring services – tailors will be a close second in demand 9,935 advertised positions.
- Production – will need 9,645 machine operators, with 82.2% of them employed in the manufacturing industry.
- Healthcare – will be sought after 6,345 nurses and other specialists in the sector.
- Education - the largest percentage increase is in the demand for teachers, with 1,447 jobs for teachers applied for the Plovdiv region alone.
Most valuable skills and competencies
According to the data from the analysis, employers place the most importance on the following skills and competencies:
Most Valuable Skills:
- Self-control and discipline – This skill was identified as most important to 87.4% by employers, indicating that employers value employees' ability to manage their emotions and follow the rules.
- Communication skills – 85% of employers believe that communication is key to the successful work of staff.
- Team work – About 84% of employers emphasize the importance of the skill of cooperation.
- Solving problems – 78% of employers indicate that the ability to solve problems effectively is important for workers in their organization.
Most important competencies:
- Personal and social competence – turns out to be the most valuable competency listed by approx 25% from employers. It covers skills such as emotional intelligence and social interaction.
- Language literacy – Important for 16.8% from the employers, which shows that language skills are an indispensable skill, especially for international and client relations.
- Entrepreneurial competence – 12.3% of employers consider entrepreneurial skills, including initiative and willingness to take risks, to be vital.
Training needs:
- 56.7% from employers indicate that it is necessary to carry out trainings to increase key competences, with over half preferring these trainings to take place before the appointment of the employees.
These data clearly show that employers are focusing on soft skills (e.g. discipline, communication and teamwork) that not only improve daily work efficiency but also strengthen the overall work atmosphere.
Specific data for Ruse
Ruse region has a declared need of 12,149 frames, which represents 4.6% of the country's total needs. Compared to last year, this represents an increase in stated needs in the region. Key areas of search include:
1. Production specialists
Machine operators and technicians will be among the most sought-after professions in Ruse. This is due to the active industrial zone and the strong concentration of manufacturing enterprises in the region.
2. IT and engineering professions
Rousse reports a growing demand for skilled engineers, especially in the fields of mechanics, electronics and software. The study shows that the demand for IT professionals and engineers with higher education will grow with 15% compared to 2023..
Specialized positions: The increase in labor demand is most noticeable in construction, manufacturing and administrative occupations. The stated needs for specialists in technical and engineering fields are also growing.
Sectoral differences: While some sectors in the country report a decline (e.g. transport, healthcare), Ruse shows relative stability and growth due to the active industrial zone and increasing interest in qualified personnel. This positive trend suggests that Rousse is consolidating its role as an economically active region with prospects for growth in the labor market.
Businesses in Ruse will be active in the search for new employees in 2025 as well, with a focus on specific professions in industry, services and education. Forecasts show that industrial sectors such as construction, manufacturing, IT, and education will need qualified personnel. These forecasts outline the need for cooperation between education, training institutions and employers to ensure sustainable development of the regional labor market.
The Rousse Chamber of Commerce and Industry plays a key role in this process. Like an organization uniting business and industrial enterprises in the region, she actively works for creating partnerships between local employers and educational institutions. The Chamber supports the development of programs for vocational training and retraining, to meet the current needs of the labor market.
In addition, the chamber works to attract new investments and promote innovation in industries, which create new employment opportunities.
