The labor shortage continues to impact the craft sector, with an increasing demand for professionals such as hairdressers, masons, tinsmiths, armorers, bakers, butchers, beauticians, plumbers and cooks. Some job ads are even offering up to 3,000 euros per month for these positions. According to data from the Poslovi Infostud website, the labor market in 2024 highlights several key sectors traditionally at the top in terms of job listings. These include trade/sales, production, the service sector, crafts, catering and the IT sector.
Among the most in-demand positions are administrative workers, hygienists, salespeople, waiters, warehouse workers, cooks, sales representatives, production workers, telephone operators, tinsmiths and drivers.
Craft jobs are getting better paid
To explore which jobs are in greatest demand, we contacted Miloš Turinski from Infostud, who explained that craft jobs have been in high demand for years, and as a result, salaries in these fields are rising. “When we talk about where the highest earnings are, it’s always the larger cities like Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Niš,” Turinski said. “Generally, craft positions are tied to both the volume and amount of work, so the workload is greater in larger cities,” he explained.
He added that in larger cities, it’s more challenging to find a skilled craftsman, and in some cases, there are waiting lists for certain services.
In 2024, tin workers had the highest average salary at 176,000 dinars, making them among the most sought-after professionals. You can read more about the experiences of tin workers in a separate article.
On the other hand, drivers earned an average of 120,000 dinars, placing them in the group of high-paying professions. Commercial workers could expect salaries of around 110,000 dinars, while cooks earned an average of 105,000 dinars. Telephone operators received an average of 100,000 dinars, and production and warehouse workers earned 79,000 dinars and 74,000 dinars, respectively.
At the lower end of the salary scale are administrative workers, who earned an average of 77,000 dinars, salespeople with an average salary of 70,000 dinars, and hygienists, whose salaries were the lowest at 66,000 dinars.
Salary differences reflect the varying requirements and specific skills needed for these positions, as well as market conditions that influence the value of certain occupations.
Crafts hit hard by workforce shortages
The workforce shortage continued to heavily impact the craft sector, with the greatest need being felt throughout the year. “Salaries for artisans vary from year to year, but they are definitely increasing, and employers are struggling to attract quality workers,” Turinski noted.
All the professions in high demand offered salaries that were at least in line with the national average, with some job ads offering up to 3,000 euros for certain positions. These figures highlight the high demand for skilled workers and employers’ willingness to pay significant amounts for rare and essential skills.
A need for a more inclusive job market
For young people just entering the workforce, 2024 has brought numerous opportunities. A total of 17,329 ads were aimed at young people, making up 23.5 percent of all job ads. These opportunities offered a chance to gain first work experience and enter the job market.
However, inclusivity remains a challenge in the Serbian labor market, as only 4,918 ads were available for people with disabilities, representing just 5 percent of the total job postings.
These figures underline the need to strengthen efforts to improve inclusivity and create more equal opportunities for all individuals.
