Switzerland’s skills shortage is on the rise in 2018, according to the latest Skills Shortage Index compiled by The Adecco Group Switzerland in collaboration with the Swiss Job Market Monitor from the University of Zurich. 

The Index compares the number of vacancies in occupations to the number of job seekers. It found that there is an acute skills shortage in engineering, technician and IT professions across Switzerland in 2018. Specialists are also scarce in the fiduciary sector.

“Companies are currently struggling to find enough qualified staff in these professions,” Nicole Burth, CEO of The Adecco Group Switzerland, said.

In comparison to the previous year, the Skills Shortage Index in 2018 rose 9% for engineering and natural sciences professions and 8% for IT professions. 

The Swiss Skills Shortage Index 2018 for healthcare professions (e.g. doctors, pharmacists) was also higher than average, continuing the trend of the past two years, with the skills shortage neither increasing nor decreasing over this time.

“We are seeing a tendency that highly qualified professions in the healthcare sector in particular are in high demand, whereas homecare and nursing aid skilled workers are easier to find,” Corinne Scheiber, Head of Adecco Medical Switzerland, said. “Doctors are in short supply across Switzerland, and in German-speaking Switzerland there is a particular lack of qualified staff, such as midwives and nurses.

Within the fiduciary sector, the skills shortage is due to the high demand for specialists in the sector. Professions in the fiduciary sector are in second place in the Swiss Skills Shortage Ranking 2018.

“Companies could find it difficult to fill job vacancies in the fiduciary sector,” the report stated.

“As an auditor or accountant, it is extremely important to be familiar with international law and financial reporting, among other things, making it essential for companies to be able to rely on foreign specialists,” Burth said.

In contrast, the Index found that the hospitality and personal services sectors have significantly more job seekers than advertised vacancies. There is a sizeable surplus of specialists in these sectors, which is affecting a large number of workers.

“As a result of the comparatively high rate of staff fluctuations in these professions, this then leads to increased competition between specialists,” Helen Buchs from the Swiss Job Market Monitor and Univeristy of Zurich, said.

Commenting on the skills shortages across the country, Buchs said, “Companies can address these gaps by improving hiring practices including offering more attractive salaries.”

“If they are still unable to fill positions, however, they will be forced to look for qualified specialists abroad,” Buchs said. “In the long term, companies would do well to invest more in the training and further education of their current and potential future employees.”