1. A new labour market in border regions? Main findings coming from the EN.TRA.RE survey on labour markets among Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Slovenia and Bulgaria. Paolo Daneluzzi Veneto Lavoro

2. A new labour market in border regions? The tourism sector in Europe EN.TRA.RE surveys and report on the labour market have been focused on the Tourism sector. Europe remains the leading region in this sector, the enlargement process has contributed to a situation of stability, promoting international tourism to both new member states and between old and new member states. Tourism contributed in reaching the employment goals set in the Lisbon strategy and acts as an employment engine: the number of employees in the hotel and catering sector grows faster than in the total work force. Hotel and catering sector employment especially concerns young employees. The 15 – 24 age group is employed more than double (22.4%) in this sector than in all business sectors (10.3%).

3. A new labour market in border regions? Phase three of the project: THE MONITORING CENTRE Phase n° 3 of the project entails the activation of an online monitoring centre to study the professional needs and employment potentials expressed by the tourism sector (tourist services, hotel activities, catering…), companies, training and vocational services. Data obtained trough the analysis have been the instrument intended to plan training and advisory actions capable of responding to the real needs of the labour market within this sector. The two scheduled surveys have been conducted in two different moments, June 2007 and April 2008 in order to provide a continuous longitudinal survey and to obtain a high qualitative standard of the information collected. The analisys has been focused on the description of the professional requirements and employment prospects in the sector.

4. A new labour market in border regions? The sampling design and technique The reference population is composed of all the firms in the tourism sector within the four regions, the set of samples is stratified by geographical area proportionally to N, the population of firms in each area. The sample extracted has been equal to 130 units in all ( 10 in Bulgaria, 25 in Slovenia, 24 in FVG and 71 in Veneto Region ). Each sample unit has been subjected to a cycle of two interviews. The first interview conducted face-to-face at the company’s premises with the PI (personal interview technique) the second one realised using the computer assisted telephone interview (CATI technique). Questions aimed at investigating : Employee situation and recruitment forecasts for the following 12 months Incoming professionals Training requirements

5. A new labour market in border regions ? MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF FIRMS AND PERSONNEL Nearly half are restaurants and more than a third are hotels. There is quite a significant presence of bars and travel agencies. The sample interviewed has an average of 12.72 employees per firm. While the employment of foreigners is very high in Veneto and FVG, it is (almost) absent in Bulgaria and Slovenia. In particular, Friuli has a high percentage of employed EU foreigners due to its position on the eastern borders. Another great difference is the employment of women. In Bulgaria and Slovenia over 50% of those employed in the sector are women; as opposed to Veneto and FVG. The percentage in Veneto is particularly low (39%). Labour movements: The balance of employment forecasted a total increase of 5%. This increase was driven by the new EU countries, Bulgaria and Slovenia, with percentages over 6%. In Veneto an increase of 4.2% was expected and in Friuli Venezia Giulia only 2% ( 2007 data).

6. A new labour market in border regions? Increased employment forecast by area and by the most significant types of activity

7. A new labour market in border regions? Professions in demand and training requirements The survey has highlighted that the professions most in demand are the traditional catering ones: waiters/waitresses and cooks but with some regional differences. In Slovenia, for example, there is greater demand for cooks while in Friuli Venezia Giulia for waiters/waitresses. In Italian regions ( “Excelsior” data, 2007 ) nearly 60% of recruitment will be composed of waiters/waitresses and related workers while more than 20% of cases will be composed of cooks. However only 7.2% of recruitment will concern cleaners and related workers while 4.4% will be composed of receptionists. In terms of training requirements the analysis of the data show that for the category Waiters, Waitresses, Bar Staff and Related Workers firms require specialist abilities like bar techniques, tasting, hygiene and safety as well as general abilities such as languages, welcome techniques and customer satisfaction.

8. A new labour market in border regions? training requirements The requirements for Cooks and similar are more simple. Here technical abilities are partnered with those skills relating to food hygiene and safety. In case of Receptionists, Information and call centre clerks we notice that there is a great demand for training requirements connected to the knowledge of holiday geography, local culture, art and history which demonstrates how the customers are becoming more demanding and how they increasingly seek information and details on local attractions. Specific abilities like Bed-making & room cleaning and Bed & bath linen maintenance are required for the categories including cleaners, launderers pressers and related workers. Customer satisfaction and complaint management emerge, though to a lesser degree, compared to other issues such as personal data protection, food hygiene and safety.

9. A new labour market in border regions? Firms’ training gaps (Top 10)

10. A new labour market in border regions? one year after: the second survey This second survey phase is intended to update and compare data collected on the labour market and training needs in the partner regions to monitor changes over the two years of the experiment. The most significant conclusions of the first survey are confirmed: A reduction of the percent of foreigners employed (EU and non-EU) also confirmed in the single regional labour markets. This data sustains the theory that the enlargement process has a greater influence on local labour market stabilisation than on increasing labour mobility. Foreign employment is high in Veneto and Friuli region firms and absent (or just about) in Bulgaria and Slovenia

11. A new labour market in border regions? The second survey Women employees are once again sustained by new member countries where the highest percents were posted over 50%; Average firm dimensions are rather similar (from 7 to 19 employees): they are larger in Veneto and smaller in Friuli. Labour movements: An overall 2.8% increase in the labour turnover rate was forecasted for 2008. This increase is driven by new EU countries, Bulgaria and Slovenia, with rates over 9%. In Friuli Venezia Giulia, a 1.8% increase was forecasted and is slightly lower than the previous posting. The rate change in Veneto is even lower with a 0.1% forecasted increase. Significant data: the 2007 drop in foreign labour in the tourism sector in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia was confirmed; new member countries internally absorb labour; the labour market in Slovenia is becoming a new attraction pole for labour.

12. A new labour market in border regions? Professions in demand The survey once again demonstrated how the professionals in highest demand are the traditional catering ones: waiters and cooks. Housekeeping and receptionist professionals follow, although in lesser percents. This data is in line with that posted for 2007. Geographical differences are confirmed, in Slovenia, the demand for waiters and cooks increased while receptionist recruitment decreased. The demand for cooks decreased in Veneto and Bulgaria while it increased in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Demand for marketing specialists was noted in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. This was probably due to new and increasingly competitive global market needs.

13. A new labour market in border regions? Training requirements and gaps The results can be summarised indicating that for the more numerous professionals such as waiters and bartenders on the one hand and cooks on the other, the training areas to be improved are clearly those concerning technical skills specific to the sector followed by, for both categories, customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction oriented service quality. Waiters and bartenders need to possess higher general skills regarding, for example, languages and sales. Compared to 2007, the need to have personnel trained on hygiene and safety regulations and in customer satisfaction continues while the need for improved computer, promotions and sales skills has increased. In training gap terms, the new member countries mainly indicate a demand for computer updates and technical-administrative training in Bulgaria and for communications and sales skills in Slovenia. A greater need to train personnel on safety and food hygiene was found in the Italian regions, also due to the importance of a different regulatory frameworks.

14. A new labour market in border regions? Employment situation in the EU is generally improving, unemployment is slighty reducing to levels not far from those of the early 1990’s and forecasted employment increases are strongly driven by new member states. But some problems remain and are confirmed by our research like differences in male and female employment as well as a marked difference from one region to the next. Geographic EU labour mobility remains a limited phenomenon, both concerning the EU population and concerning migrations from third-party countries. Estimated labour mobility flows in this survey are in fact very modest.

15. A new labour market in border regions? A new labour market or maybe different, changing labour markets with different characteristics that need tailored and specific development strategies? The constant aim to increase the competitiveness of our economies and to reach the goals of the EU employment strategies can only rely on serious investments on human resources development trough training and long-life learning policies. This is, in fact, one of the most challenging objective for the Institutions, citizens and workers of Europe. Thank you for your attention.