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Labour Market and Education

Labour Market and Education

The population of the Pomorskie Voivodeship is relatively young-the production age group represents 64.5% of the society, and people in the pre-production age 20.5%. Moreover, the IBnGR (The Gdańsk Institute for Market Economics) demographic projections until 2035 indicate that the population in the production age will be shrinking at a slower pace than the national average. This means that the voivodeship ensures steady and easy access to human capital to both the investors, and the domestic entrepreneurs. The potential employers in Pomerania can find both specialists with university diplomas, and qualified labour. According to the CSO (Central Statistical Office) Regional Data Bank, Pomerania has 764 thousand job-holders, most employed in the private sector.

The average headcount in the enterprise sector of the Pomorskie Voivodeship is 270 thousand people. Half of them have jobs in the industry, with the major group working in food and beverage production (6.2% of all employed). The latter fact again illustrates the importance of the food sector in the voivodeship economy. The steepest increase in the employment level has been reported in machine and device manufacturing (primarily electric gear), building industry, radio, TV, and telecommunication equipment manufacturing, and in real property and business services.

The current unemployment rate in Pomerania sligthly exceeds the national level. At the end of March 2010, the rate stood at 13.1% and was varied across the region. The Tri-city, where the economic life of the region focuses, unemployment was lowest (in Sopot-4.2%, Gdynia-6.2%, Gdańsk-5.9%). The highest rate, on the other hand, was recorded in the poviats of Nowy Dwór (27.4%), Sztum and Malbork (both 24.8%).

One of the main advantages the Pomorskie Voivodeship offers to potential investors consists in steady access to educated and specialised labour. Pomerania has 28 schools of higher education with over 100 thousand students. More than 20 thousand graduates left the Pomorskie schools in 2008 alone.

The University of Gdańsk is the largest school of higher education in the voivodeship. The Gdańsk University of Technology is the second largest and at the same time the oldest establishment of higher education. Other schools feeding staff to the prime economy sectors include: the Maritime Academy, Polish Naval Academy, Medical University, Academy of Physical Education and Sport, and private establishments of tertiary education.

There are also numerous other schools in the Pomorskie Voivodeship, offering vocational qualifications to labourers in an array of branches and special areas (fitters, electricians, mechanics, NC machine tool operators).

A growing number of people can speak foreign languages. Teaching languages begins as early as in the prime school. The curricula include compulsory courses in at least one foreign language, typically English.