Gegi Kelbakiani, the director of Reforma Construction management company declares, that the outflow of the labor force abroad, as well as the high GDP growth rate, are two main factors of the acute shortage of labor force on the market.
He stated this in an interview with the BMGTV and noted that the workforce and high-quality specialists are the challenge. This is confirmed by the BAG Index published by the Georgian Business Association.
The director of Reforma Construction management company says that the construction sector is forced to import labor force from neighboring countries.
"Many companies are forced to bring people with specific specializations from Turkey and use them to implement this or that project. At this stage, lira devaluation supported the Georgian construction industry. So, we can bring specialists from Turkey at an affordable price due to high inflation. But, as soon as the Turkish economy is balanced, the problem of the shortage of specialists will probably appear even more," said Gegi Kelbakiani and expressed hope that the new vision of professional education, presented by the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia yesterday, will contribute to the systematic solution of the problem of labor force shortage.
Director of Reforma Construction management company believes that it is crucial to carry out active information campaigns for the promotion of vocational education, so that the stigma on vocational education since the Soviet Union will disappear.
"Practically, for decades, the professional education system was broken and people could not get education. Thus, according to the need, the business taught the relevant skills and trained specialists. We need to explain to people that if they master a particular specialty/craft and become qualified carpenters, craftsmen, welders or excavator drivers, they will be paid quite well," he said.
