PRIME Recruitment Blog

Five most sought specialists in Latvia

There are a number of positions in Latvia that are extremely difficult to place where some of you need look to for future employment. I will list a few and attempt to tell also why. They do not appear in any specific order. Latvia does not need more managers - it needs the power of the minds and the local support to build for years ahead and to get on with it! It needs import competence and encourage positive activity in a LEGAL way so we don't compete small business out of work with our taxes' system and thus via state projects in place of private initiatives.Information technology is a help, partly, however I am here speaking of the physical person and competence. And there is none and no one to ask. There is no previous generation!

...And where are the women? Who encourages them to study the non-traditional?

A/ Tin Roof Layer person / Skardnieks / Jumikis. There is until now for a long time no institute of learning the trade and apart from one foreigner (now retired) setting up shop and training people 20 years ago, nothing is done to alleviate the need. You would think that it is a need to give youth and others training, and places to train-on-the-job? No! This also means we have people who go around doing a job they are not usually qualified for. Many are just carpenters and very fine such, but this stops further export as nothing may back it up!

-Another is everyone's lack of solid language skills - English firstly. Or to be able to work overseas for longer stints. Last, people are very used to cash payments and frankly have a problem working regular hours and legally.They are used to being cheated of their pay thus they don't know the stability that should be offered by decent employment or try to hoard incomes and thus pressure prices upward in a market starting the over-heating problems we just got out of. These issues con-tribute to the general shortage and compounds the problem.

B/ CnC programmer (and operator) as in Production.These, the needs are needed in Wood, Metal, Plastic& Stone and as all production becomes more and more sophisticated so does the equipment. Unlike before when worked on one tool and the product was made in steps, this is now substituted by a machine which does all, tri-dimensionally and down to 1/10 000 of a millimetres accuracy. Grin-ding, lathe & cutting. And for this you need a degree, a sharp mind and ideally the ability to innovate further. Add to that ENGLISH and e x p e r I e n c e of at least 3-5 years.... And ADD leadership abilities to coach...

C/ Magento web shop solutions developer. There a few in the market, they are over-worked and frankly also being paid too well with regards to experience in the field. A politician boasted me that Latvia would soon churn out 5,000 programmers a year.The right amount is just 1,000 which is a good figure for such a small country.Three years relevant experience is a minimum elsewhere, here we have to do with people with one year or less. Perhaps more should be educated in this? There is additional a need elsewhere in Europe. Excellent opportunity for the RIGHT mind.

D/ Experienced Export Sales managers. There are many young with universities' degrees out there, but this cannot compensate for the de facto knowledge and what fifteen to twenty years demands, out working the markets - being placed there, having to compete far away from home and never allow yourself to stop producing against targets set. That is the reality, not a 2-day-trip to Frankfurt and not Skype meetings. Failure set against winning, ability to understand the culture, languages, knowledge of the whole process around your sales that need be estimated, evaluated and also money set aside and budgeted properly taking in all costs to pay for when or if orders hit. Nor does the knowledge of setting up a department to handle current 'traffic' and forecast future needs. Sound judgement comes from experience. Education may help - but there are no guarantees. Sadly. The country needs import competence and adjust local demands to accommodate this! Urgently!

E/ Mechanical engineers. Most things in a factory needs them to run with expen-sive machinery, as when standing idle its costing in the thousands. Today with electronics and programming skills is very much what I mention in 'B' (above). Again poor language skills, no program for letting the young practise and learn, but also create a system allowing them a smaller salary as student understudies to make it possible and government in support of factories taking them in. That is the future!

This list could be made longer I am illustrating a few. Latvia could become a hub of competence and attract foreign direct investment and produce for others. If we won't others will - why should we always be last just because we have no proper body building this up so we not only export competence, but actually could be selling this for profit? HOW I don't know, but an attitude change in society is very much needed - also in giving over our thoughts and opinions to the young - early. Not only a degree counts - sadly today's jobs demand education so it gives very little in the way of incentives for those who do not fit the shoes laid out...- but something needs to be done, NOW!

I write this to create awareness but I am also working filling these position now and again - maybe awareness opens to new thinking? Meanwhile I need find 'A' and 'C' - but we only want locals as price = salaries are an issue! Got to www.prime.lv the 'Candidate Hunt', our little system to support this:). We give a minor reward to you for the right person taking a job through us and remaining! This makes three people happy - the candidate (job seeker), our Client and You. If you're all happy we're happy! :))

Any comments? Press LIKE so I know. Thanks!