The practical interest of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in matters related to the labor market was underlined by the LCCI’s participation, and substantial support, in a recent conference jointly organized by the Ministries and Commerce and Education, entitled "The Professions of the Future". The conference, which took place in Limassol in the presence of dozens of interested parties, students, parents, teachers, etc., was welcomed, among others, by the Chamber President Andreas Tsouloftas, who praised the initiative of the organizers for a subject that has evolved over the years into major issue. He particularly noted the fact of the coexistence in Cyprus, on the one hand, of a large number of vacant jobs and, on the other, of several unemployed people.
If one excludes a minority of unemployed who may not wish to work, he continued, the presence of the rest of the unemployed at a time when almost all companies are looking for staff, can only point to a mismatch between the specialties in demand and the qualifications of the existing unemployed. Mr. Tsouloftas referred, among other things, to the LCCI Business Barometer, through which the needs of businesses in labor force are clearly identified, stressing that this specific problem is assessed as of top importance, even at a time when many other issues that concern business, including the increases in the prices of raw materials and basic products and others, feature quite prominently.
This is perhaps the first time, he pointed out, that human resource shortages are felt in all sectors of economic activity, with demand spanning from unskilled to fully qualified personnel and all stages in between. In light of this situation, he concluded, the right professional guidance for students is extremely important, and the Chamber and its member companies are ready to help in this effort.
