When asked which industry they would like to work in, 42% of respondents said the IT sector, followed by the pharmaceutical industry and finance, while 22% would be happy to work in hospitality and tourism. Although the latter sector is not among the most desirable ones, it is more popular than the food industry and retail.

Most believe tourism workers must invest in their education

Tourism is Croatia’s most important economic sector, and 76% percent of respondents agreed that tourism workers should undergo special training to do their job more efficiently and meet tourists’ needs. Only 21% believe anyone can work in tourism as it does not require specific knowledge.

Just under half of the respondents believe it’s not possible to make a good living from seasonal work in tourism, and 43% feel tourism workers are underpaid.

Respondents employed in tourism and hospitality identified the lack of days off as the biggest issue they face, followed by long working hours, low pay, and poor treatment from guests. The fewest complaints were related to physical working conditions and relationships with supervisors, and 33% mentioned a lack of opportunities for acquiring new skills.

Younger people want training in marketing, women in presentation skills

Employees in Croatia generally rate their professional skills positively, giving themselves the highest marks in teamwork, digital skills, and communication abilities. However, most rated their marketing skills the lowest.

Respondents believe the most important skills for finding and doing a job well are building good business relationships (90%), communication skills (90%), work organisation and time management (89%), and digital competencies (89%). Less important skills for performing well, according to the majority, include presentation skills, administrative tasks, and marketing knowledge.

When asked in which areas they would like additional education, 43% mentioned foreign languages, followed by stress management, digital skills, presentation skills, and public speaking. The least requested education areas were building good business relationships and business administration, each with 12%,, and teamwork (9%).

The survey also revealed that women are significantly more interested in additional training in presentation skills compared to men, who showed less interest in this area, as well as in stress management. Individuals under 30 expressed a greater desire for additional education in marketing, while public sector employees were more interested in conflict management training, compared to those in the private sector.