Diploma in Hand – What Comes Next? Thousands of Vacancies, Yet Manufacturing Still Needs Talent

Demand for workers remains high across the labour market. Employers advertised 15,600 vacancies in May alone, while 4,000 companies were recruiting in June. For several consecutive months, the manufacturing sector has recorded the highest demand for workers, with more than 3,000 vacancies remaining open for over three months. Meanwhile, demand for highly qualified specialists has increased by nearly 20% over the past year.

Engineering Studies Struggle to Attract Young People
According to Milda Jankauskienė, spokesperson for Lithuania’s Employment Service, employers face the greatest difficulty recruiting technicians in construction, electrical and mechanical engineering. Demand is particularly high in regions where the manufacturing sector is expanding rapidly.

The Klaipėda region continues to record one of the highest levels of labour demand in Lithuania. In June alone, 1,416 new vacancies were registered in Klaipėda – the highest monthly figure recorded in the city this year. In the Klaipėda District, 1,690 vacancies were registered during the first half of the year.

“Our analysis of jobseeker and vacancy flows reveals a clear mismatch: there are more job openings in these professions than people looking for this type of work,” says M. Jankauskienė.

One of the reasons, she notes, is that some young people enter the labour market without a specific profession. According to the Employment Service, 53.7% of jobseekers under the age of 29 have no vocational qualification.

“On 1 May, 28,400 people aged 16–29 were registered with the Employment Service. More than half had no vocational training, while 20% held a higher education degree and 26.3% had obtained a vocational qualification. These figures demonstrate that the role of employers in developing the skills required by the labour market is becoming increasingly important,” says M. Jankauskienė.

Business representatives point out that the challenge is not a shortage of jobs. Rather, many young people still do not consider manufacturing as a potential career path, even though modern factories have changed significantly. Many processes are now automated, while employees are increasingly responsible for operating technologies and supervising production processes.

According to Raimonda Mačiulskienė, HR Director at VMG Group, employers are increasingly looking beyond a candidate’s existing experience and focusing on their potential.

“We consider not only what a person already knows, but also what they are capable of learning. If someone is motivated, responsible and willing to work, we can teach them many of the skills they need,” says R. Mačiulskienė.

Salary Is Not the Only Factor Shaping Young People’s Choices
Although manufacturing continues to face stereotypes related to the nature of the work or shift schedules, young people’s expectations of employers are changing. Salary remains important, but so do the working environment, development opportunities and organisational culture.

“Some people initially see shift work as a disadvantage, but their perspective often changes once they understand how it works in practice. Employees today assess not only the salary, but also the broader opportunities an employer can offer,” says R. Mačiulskienė.

This is why recruitment alone is no longer enough. Companies must also play an active role in developing future specialists.

“We invest significantly in partnerships with educational institutions and organise company visits and practical workshops, giving young people an opportunity to explore engineering, robotics and modern manufacturing first-hand,” says R. Mačiulskienė.

Robotics Is Transforming the Nature of Work
According to R. Mačiulskienė, one of the most common misconceptions about manufacturing is that automation reduces the importance of people. In reality, technology is changing the nature of work and creating demand for new competencies.
“Many physically demanding and repetitive tasks are now performed by automated systems. As a result, employees increasingly work with technology, supervise processes and make decisions. The ability to learn, understand processes and embrace innovation is becoming essential,” she says.

Modern manufacturing can therefore offer an attractive career path for young people who are still considering their professional future. Technological development and clearly defined career opportunities allow employees to grow in both technical and managerial roles.