With Alicante province recording an unemployment rate of 11.7%, a figure that climbs among young people, hundreds of graduates leave university every year hoping for a job that is not easy to find. This is the job market’s paradox. HR managers struggle to locate the profiles they need. Employers seek workers with practical skills, yet such talent remains scarce. We’re not talking about people requiring advanced academic training, but rather skilled trades that have long been undervalued and are now the most active in the region’s job market.
They search for, but cannot find, qualified technicians, electromechanics, welders, plumbers, carpenters, electricians, painters, and mechanics. In short, technically skilled roles, especially those with vocational training (FP), tied to industrial development. There are also laboratory or quality technicians and specialized field workers for harvest or pruning. “There is a very large talent gap in the market, and companies are truly struggling to find the profiles they need”, explains Víctor Tatay, director of Adecco in the Valencian Community.
The industrial sector is looking for experts in process digitalization, automation, and operators with intermediate or higher vocational qualifications. Electromechanics stands out as by far the most in-demand profile. “If there is one profile the market is crying out for, it is this”, says Tatay. “Anyone with a mechanical or electronic FP qualification is guaranteed work, unlike a construction worker who has been unemployed for three years and faces a tougher entry into the job market”, notes the HR expert.
Leading HR firms emphasize that success now depends not only on training for an initial career path, but also on ongoing retraining. Employers increasingly expect a portfolio of competencies—flexibility, teamwork, and creativity—that cannot be assumed. “We are at a moment in the labor market where absenteeism among low-skilled workers is rising, so companies value commitment and responsibility toward the job and the company, as well as a positive, proactive attitude”, explains Sabrina Martínez, office director at Randstad Alicante. She adds that teamwork and adaptability are among the top skills requested by employers.
On the other hand, experts point to a sizable gap between academic training and real-world work life. “Universities must make more efforts to connect with business needs; vocational training, intermediate and higher degrees are increasingly aligning with candidates”, says Tatay of Adecco. The new Vocational Training law, set to take effect next September, requires that a portion of hours in middle and higher cycles include real-world learning, estimated between 25% and 35%. Previously, practical placements were mainly concentrated in the second year, with the first year offering little hands-on experience. “Continuous learning is the new normal; having a job today does not guarantee keeping it tomorrow”, Tatay adds.
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When it comes to job openings, the hospitality sector leads with the most advertisements. In 2023, 193,147 positions were posted across the Valencian Community, according to Adecco, a 1% rise from 2022. In Alicante province, posted openings reached 58,154 in 2023. The previous year tallied 57,203, marking a 2% decrease.
The majority of these postings in the province were for hospitality professionals, the largest single category at 13.2% of openings, far ahead of commercial and sales at 9.9%. The real estate and construction sector accounted for 8.8%, followed by retail at 8.7%. Logistics represented 7.6%, while industry and production held a smaller share at 6.9% of provincial postings.
Across the entire region, 2023 saw hospitality at 9.7% of the 193,147 postings, with commercial and sales at 9.4%, industry at 9.2%, engineering at 9.2%, and logistics at 9%. The real estate and construction sector closed the top six at 8.4%. Experts forecast no major changes for 2024.
“Hospitality is in a transformative phase as it struggles to recruit sufficient personnel. Improving conditions is key, but it is essential that industry employers honor negotiated agreements, properly compensate overtime and holiday hours, and ensure adequate rest between shifts”, states Víctor Tatay, Adecco’s head in the region. These are fundamental standards that unions say have not always been guaranteed in the sector.
Randstad Alicante’s director, Sabrina Martínez, notes that in both inland areas and coastal towns, the most in-demand profiles relate to the service sector, especially hospitality, along with the food and plastics industries.