Wednesday, 16 March 2022

Record Number of Jobs in Split-Dalmatia County Needed ahead of Tourist Season

March 16, 2022 - A record number of jobs in Split-Dalmatia County are currently on offer, which can only mean one thing - summer is coming. 

There are more and more job advertisements on social networks lately, but also advertised on Employment Service pages, confirming that the new tourist season is soon approaching, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

Waiters, chefs, receptionists are some of the most sought-after jobs, and there are 562 ads in the "Service and catering occupations" category in Split-Dalmatia County.

During the first two months of 2022, a total of 7,696 needs for workers were received, which is 4,621 or 150.3 percent more than in 2021. In addition, there are 2,218 ads for seasonal jobs, which is 1,513 or 214.6 percent more than in the first two months of 2021," explains Jelena Gogić, head of the Split office of the Croatian Employment Service (CES).

She adds that the seasonal demand is dominated by providing accommodation and food preparation with 1593 ads. In total, the most sought-after were salespeople (1242), followed by waiters (642), delivery drivers (467), cooks (428), cleaners (316), and so on.

Some of the largest hotel groups in Split are also looking for workers. Namely, Hotel Radisson Blu Resort & Spa is looking for a restaurant manager, restaurant shift manager, bartender, waiter, maid, chef, assistant chef, head of the kitchen shift, and pizza master.

The AC Hotel by Marriott Split will open in the 135-meter-high Westgate tower at the beginning of July, and it is the first Croatian hotel under the brand of one of the most prestigious hotel groups in the world. The hotel will employ over 100 staff, and managerial positions have already been filled. For the remaining jobs, advertisements are currently placed on social networks. They are looking for workers at the reception, in the sales and finance sector, in maintenance, and bartenders and waiters.

Hotel Le Méridien Lav is also looking for workers, including a night receptionist, security guard, pastry chef, and luggage assistant.

According to Gogić, the Employment Service recorded 24,832 unemployed people at the end of February, which is 4,296 or 17.7 percent less than in February 2021. In addition, there were 11,111 unemployed men (44.7 percent) and 13,721 (55.3 percent) women.

The head of the CES office in Split explains that most unemployed have a three-year secondary education, 8607 (34.7 percent), followed by a four-year secondary education, 8324 (33.5 percent). Furthermore, 3483 (14 percent) are unemployed with primary school education, 2246 (9 percent) with university education, 2032 (8.2 percent) with higher education, and 140 (0.6 percent) without schooling.

Jelena Gogić answered if the employers manage to find workers, i.e. if the staff registered at the institute correspond to those who are wanted.

"Employers in most cases manage to realize their needs for workers, and it can be said that in 60 to 70 percent of cases, they manage to find the necessary staff. If, on the other hand, they do not realize their needs with "domestic staff," they turn to employing foreigners and submitting applications for issuing work permits," Gogić states.

She adds that the Employment Service, as every year, trains workers for occupations that are most in-demand in the labor market and chronically lacking, emphasizing careers in the provision of accommodation and food and beverage preparation.

"The interest of the unemployed is great, and since the beginning of the year, 80 drivers of C and D categories have been sent for education, 18 for training in writing EU projects, 111 unemployed have been sent for training to upgrade IT skills, and there are 160 participants in English, Italian or German. In addition, training for 30 nurses, 30 nursing home workers, and 20 masseurs is also being prepared," Gogić concluded. 

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

Thursday, 9 September 2021

Varaždin County Businesses See Higher Net Profit, More Employees in 2020 Than in 2019

ZAGREB, 9 Sept 2021 - The businesses registered in Varaždin County recorded the consolidated net profit of HRK 1.3 billion in 2020, up 22.3% from 2019, and had also 1.6% more employees last year than in 2019, according to an analysis of the Financial Agency (FINA).

Last year, the total revenues of the 4,276 businesses that had their main offices registered in that northern Croatian county stood at HRK 27.5 billion, down by 0.3% on the year, and their total expenditures were cut by one percent to HRK 26 billion.

In terms of revenues, the food company Vindija topped the ranking, HRK 3 billion.

WE-KR, a company specialized in manufacturing metal structures, saw the highest profit.

The net profit for the period of all the enterprises in the county came to HRK 1.5 billion, rising by 26.5% from 2019, the loss for the period jumped by 49.1% to HRK 290.2 million. As a result, the consolidated financial outcome of the profit was HRK 1.3 billion, or 23.3% more than in 2019.

Gross fixed capital formation increased by 5.5% in 2020.

The exports of the businesses registered in Varaždin County declined by 4.5% to HRK 9.2 billion, and imports shrank 11.5% to HRK 5.1 billion.

The biggest exporter, based in Varaždin County, was Boxmark Leather, whose exports totaled HRK 934.6 million, and it had the highest number of employees, 2,234.

Last year, the number of people on the payroll of all those 4,276 businesses increased by 701 or 1.6% to 43,889 on the year.

Last year's average monthly wage in county businesses was 12% lower than Croatia's average

The average monthly net wage paid to workers in Varaždin County-based businesses totaled HRK 5,257, or 2.3% more than in 2019. However, the comparison of the average net monthly wage paid by enterprises in the whole of Croatia, (HRK 5,971), and by this county's enterprises in 2020 shows that workers in this northern county received the monthly salary lower by 12% than the country's average.

(€1 = HRK 7.476883)

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

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