More than 1200 jobs were made available from some 60 participating companies at the career and job fair in the southern city of Fier. Visiting the event, which is open to job seekers and businesses alike, Prime Minister Edi Rama met various representatives of the participating companies, who outlined plans to expand their business activity and create new jobs for qualified and skilled workers. A wide range of jobs is on offer at the job and career fairs opening across the country and they provide companies and jobseekers alike the opportunity to meet face to face, while a jobseeker can secure instant employment provided that he or she meets the employer’s requirements. “As many as 1194 jobs have been made available by some 60 companies in this fair alone. Meanwhile, another 230 vacancies, 35 jobs in Fier and 195 jobs in Lushnja respectively, have been also announced by other companies which are not participating in this event,” a National Employment Service specialist said.

Telekom Albania has offered 50 jobs in the field of telecommunications, from the operator-level to telecommunications engineers. Various companies in the field of garment and footwear sector, or in agriculture and farming are looking for engineers. “Our factory currently employs 400 people and we have made available 100 new jobs,” a garment and footwear company representative said. Another service business taking part in the fair was seeking to hire 20 employees. “We have a complex of services at the entrance of the city of Fier. We have employed 50 people and we are looking for another 20 because we are expanding our business,” the representative of this business said.

Private companies, in close collaboration with the employment service offices, are constantly looking for employees, not always an easy task, as many jobseekers need to be trained before being fully employed by the company, so many individuals, mainly young people, are attending vocational schools to gain the required skills. Lack of skilled workforce is also a concern for companies participating in this fair. One of the metal construction manufacturing companies participating in this fair, to meet its needs for skilled welders, has brought them from Thailand, Colombia and India.