Entering the job market is becoming more challenging for young people in Slovakia. The share of job offers suitable for graduates is declining, and employers are increasingly asking for prior experience. This is according to data from Profesia.sk, Slovakia’s largest job portal, which has recorded a 7 percent drop in graduate-level job postings over the past seven years. Ľubica Melcerová, the portal’s spokesperson, says that last year employers posted just over 72,000 vacancies marked as suitable for graduates — around 29 percent of all listings. That share has fallen from 36 percent in 2019 to 27 percent this year. And the downward trend is continuing.
Labour market analyst Michal Páleník explains that language models are already taking over some tasks, especially in entry-level roles typically filled by graduates. This may be one reason fewer junior positions are available today. At the same time, expectations are rising. While employers required prior experience in 39 percent of graduate job listings in 2019, that figure is now close to half.
Miriam Filová, spokesperson for the Federation of Employers´ Associations of the Slovak Republic, says gaining work experience while still studying shows real commitment. Employers are no longer focused only on diplomas, but on practical skills—especially since additional training brings extra costs.
Currently, graduates of secondary schools most often find work in retail, manufacturing and administration. University graduates are most likely to find jobs in healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry and IT.
Source: STVR
