It is one of the biggest paradoxes in the labor market. Despite appearing on unemployment lists, there are more than 137,000 registered people in the province. Companies increasingly complain that they cannot find enough candidates to fill open positions, which hinders growth and the ability to meet customer demand. Recovery after the pandemic and steady occupancy records since then have been driven mainly by the growth of the tourism and hotel sector.
The situation drew the attention of the Sepe Professions Observatory, which decided to address the issue for the first time in its annual report on the Alicante labor market. After surveys conducted by experts and professionals, the technicians of this body in the human resources sector — including employment office directors — have identified about twenty trades in the province where there is a persistent shortage of personnel to meet company needs.
As expected, the hospitality industry figures prominently on this list of unfilled professions. There is a significant gap for roles such as waiters and even chefs, according to the inquiry conducted by Sepe technicians.
There is also a shortage of truck drivers, an issue flagged by employers in the sector, along with difficulties in finding professionals in transport-related roles. Customs representatives are in short supply, and accountants also pose a challenge, with gaps often rooted in the cross-skills they must possess rather than a lack of candidates. Language barriers and the adoption of new technologies contribute to these gaps, while management remains another area where there are more job openings than qualified applicants.
According to Sepe, butchers and fishermen are missing in trade. PILAR CORTES
When it comes to sectors such as healthcare, labor shortages affect hiring in specialties like doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists. In the creative and artistic industries, the difficulties concentrate in graphic and multimedia design roles.
Construction is another area where supply and demand do not fully align in the province. In fact, it is one of the sectors where the relevant employer, in this case Fopa, advocates facilitating the employment of foreign workers. The experts consulted by Sepe point to specific trades where the largest volumes of unfilled positions are recorded: plumbers, cable structure builders, air conditioner installers, and crane operators.
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Automotive workshops report shortages of tanners and electrical mechanics, while the metallurgical industry faces a lack of welders. In addition, companies struggle to find repair specialists for marine or railroad machinery.
In addition, the shortage has begun to spread to other common businesses. The study shows that firms are having difficulty hiring butchers, fishermen, and even hairdressers. When it comes to filling these staff needs, many vacancies remain unfilled.
The study found that among the twenty occupations surveyed, vacancies could not be filled in 71% of cases, and in 24% of cases it was directly impossible to find suitable candidates, leaving positions empty.
Reasons
Regarding the reasons behind the hiring difficulties, 38% of respondents cited lack of education or experience for the positions. A further 31% pointed to missing technical skills specific to each job. At the same time, 19% attributed issues to working conditions, such as salary or work hours, while cross-skills like languages and technology management hinder the process for about 12% of cases.
An office of the Generalitat’s public employment service. david revenge
Beyond this study, employer and union analyses reveal divergent views. Some groups insist there is a talent shortage in skilled positions and argue that the problem is spreading across industries. They call for a training supply more aligned with productive needs and welcome proposals to ease the regulation of migrant workers who are in unstable situations. They also advocate criteria that would allow the recruitment of foreign workers originating from abroad.
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Unions are not uniform in their assessment. Some argue that employers should first use the public employment service to locate workers, while others acknowledge it is a working conditions issue. They contend salaries requested by professionals are not being met. Recent European research indicates that the sectors most challenged by hiring pay about 9% below the average rate.
Similarly, the general secretary of UGT-PV notes that the problem may stem from insufficient resources in public employment services and active employment policies. He points to a lack of support that could help the unemployed re-enter the labor market, a level of accompaniment that exists in several European countries but remains limited in Spain.