Croatia is missing qualified workers in almost all segments with business activity, said the head of the Entrepreneurship and Crafts Ministry
“It is incorrect to say we have a shortage of workforce only in the tourism season. We have a lack of qualified workers in construction, metal and electrical branches, almost all segments with business activity,” Horvat said, as reported by Tportal.hr on July 13, 2016.
He pointed out that the majority of the 200,00 unemployed registered with the employment office, due to their educational profile, will probably never find work. He claims Croatia has to urgently prequalify its workforce, but also pay attention to what the real sector needs, to modify the enrolment quotas in the high school system in the next three to five years and prepare only the profiles the Croatian economy needs.
Questioned if Croatia has a surplus of higher-education workers, Horvat answered “we can see a decline of interest for years in high school occupational education and a rise in interest for general education”
Furthermore, the Minister emphasised that subventions and support for Croatian entrepreneurs will mostly be available though EU structural funds, meaning state money will not be used for those purposes. He added developed European nations based their growth on EU funds, while Croatia has withdrawn relatively little lately.
In his opinion, businesses can acquire loans more easily now, starting with 0.5% interest rates, something unimaginable until recently.
Horvat also feels the philosophy on entrepreneurs changed since he headed up the Ministry, but that neighbouring countries are still developing faster than us.
