site.btaSofia Hosts 16th Annual Tech Career Days Forum Organized by JobTiger

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev said here on Saturday that the industry of Bulgaria is owed support that involves a better education system, numerous measures to facilitate the investment process, and an effort to make the industry itself more recognizable by the public. Donchev was speaking at the 16th annual Tech Career Days forum organized by JobTiger.

This year's event is dedicated to helping employers in the technology sector to meet job candidates, including students with little or no work experience, as well as working professionals seeking new career challenges.

According to the Minister, "Bulgarian industry is the least known sector of the Bulgarian economy." He expressed hope that forums such as this one will raise people's awareness. He praised the industry for evolving conquering European markets, and having ambitions to grow further.

Donchev highlighted the industry's need for labour force, as well as the need to boost interest in engineering degrees. He said that Bulgarian industry desperately needs more qualified personnel, skilled workers, engineers, people who have studied natural sciences. He added: "The quality of human capital and qualifications will be among the factors that will determine the competitiveness of the economy in the coming decades." Donchev stated that while there are no bad majors and no bad higher education degrees, it is precisely the technical majors that allow people to create, change the world and make it a better place.

Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Natalia Efremova noted that the forum is an opportunity for young people to gain new information and a set of knowledge and tools about what is happening in the technology sector in Bulgaria. This sector is less well known, but it is extremely important, not only generating GDP but also adding much greater value to everything that is produced in Bulgaria, she said.

Deputy Executive Director of the National Employment Agency (NEA) Kristiyan Panov noted that the NEA's goal is to strengthen its support for such events and for private labour market mediation in the coming years, to increase employment and reduce the number of inactive people in Bulgaria. He reported: "NEA invests directly and immediately in people's skills, so I encourage job seekers to take an interest. It is completely free, with the support of the state and the European Union, to find their place for additional qualification and to improve their skills." He also addressed employers, telling them that the agency offers youth internships to help young people find a job.

The event, which saw participation from 26 companies, ends of Saturday afternoon, said Svetlozar Petrov, manager of JobTiger. Previous editions have been attended by 1,000 to 3,000 people, with 30 to 40% of them having been at the beginning of their careers and the rest of them still studying. Similar forums will be held in Gabrovo, North Central Bulgaria, on October 23, and in Plovdiv, South Central Bulgaria, on October 25.

An ongoing campaign run by JobTiger is called Tech in Bulgaria. It aims to produce 1,000 articles and videos that share previously unknown facts about given companies, and why people might be interested in joining their workforce.