Slovenian workforce in industry sector is highly productive and therefore has best price performance in the region.
Slovenia has long been recognised for the sheer quality of its workforce, an asset that plays a crucial role in giving the country an advantage over its competitors. Indeed, Slovenia’s reputation as an attractive investment and business location is closely associated with its skilled labour.
So, what exactly does that mean? In a nutshell, a typical Slovenian has completed a 9-year elementary school education, most Slovenes have secondary school education, more than a third have a university degree, most are computer literate and speak two or more foreign languages. Indeed, the fluency in foreign languages is recognised by numerous international studies that rank Slovenians at the European top: 92% of population can communicate in at least one world language and 67% of Slovenians speak well enough to hold a conversation in two foreign languages. English language is the most popular followed by German, Italian, Croatian and/or Serbian, French and Spanish.
Slovenia’s technically minded workers have a strong work ethic, as well as being loyal to their employers and reluctant to change jobs, ensuring stability and continues growth. In addition, Slovenian workforce in the industry sector is highly productive, providing most added value in terms of labour costs in the region.
Excellent schools and renowned higher educational institutes attract many students from abroad who tend to stay in Slovenia when they finished their studies. The quality of life and the provision of all kinds of amenities in Slovenia also attract a mobile workforce from other European countries, in search of economic opportunity and a good standard of living. The emigrants from Europe adapt into the society easily.
After nine years of compulsory elementary education, Slovenian students have choice on how to continue their secondary school education: vocational training courses, secondary schools or gymnasiums. Technology courses are quite popular amongst students both in secondary schools and at universities and Slovenians have a far-reaching reputation for flair in technology and innovation. This is not only a result of the high-quality formal schooling but also a long-standing industrial tradition.
With its focus on education, training and industry driven research, Slovenia ensures support to the high value-added sectors such as information and communication technology, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Slovenia doesn’t lie on its lauerls and works hard to continue to improve labour market efficiency by strengthening flexibility and adapting Slovenia’s education system to the labour market needs. Government-sponsored training and re-training programmes help upgrade job seekers’ employability by providing adult education and other in-demand skills to meet employers’ entry-level job requirements. Co-financing is available to manufacturers to provide training in skills specific to their jobs for new employees within the framework of Slovenia’s active employment policy measures.
