Society and labour market

Society

The Wielkopolska Region is inhabited by approximately 3.5 million people. Current demographic trends, such as population migration, population ageing, changes in the family model and a decline in the birth rate, affect many areas of life: the labour market, housing market, health and social care system, education and transport system. The consequences of the progressive population ageing may prove to be a particularly significant problem shortly. Negative demographic processes, although slower than in other parts of the country, are shaping the future of the Wielkopolska Region society. Demographic changes affect the supply and demand of certain social services and the development of new branches of the silver and white economies.

Among the challenges of the Wielkopolska Regional Government is the maintenance of social cohesion. Intra-regional demographic changes - especially those related to migration - affect local labour markets (e.g. the phenomenon of human capital leaching), the social structure of the population and the related structure of the local economy. The engagement by employers of workers from outside our country, and recently also the influx of migrants from Ukraine, are associated with the need to adapt public services to foreigners and their social integration. Increasing migratory traffic creates pressure to develop individual and collective transport services. With population ageing and a decreasing number of children, the education sector and school network will also need to be transformed. Another challenge is to counteract de-urbanisation and chaotic suburbanisation, which result in a decline in the population of cities in favour of the surrounding functional areas. Effective integration of development planning is necessary in this respect.

To increase the social security of the region's residents, it is necessary to improve access to public goods and services and activate those who are excluded, marginalised or at risk of these phenomena to participate in various spheres of socio-economic life. Reducing the risk of poverty and its inheritance will contribute to the region’s social cohesion and economic development.

Labour market

The Wielkopolska Region, compared to the rest of the country, has significant labour resources, accounting for 9.5% of the total workforce in Poland. The labour market is characterised by volatility and dependence on many socio-economic factors, including the condition of the economy and enterprises, legal regulations in force and demographic trends. It is also inextricably linked to the level of schooling and directions of education of the population.

For years, the Wielkopolska Region has maintained one of the lowest unemployment rates in Poland, approximately 3%. The region is characterised by a high level of professional activity among its residents and a constantly growing business base. Unemployment in the region varies territorially, depending on the location of the district on the map of Wielkopolska and the specificity of its internal conditions. Public Employment Services operating in the region initiate measures for professional activation, making maximum use of funds received from the Labour Fund and other sources, including European funds or the National Training Fund. The unit of the Wielkopolska Regional Government responsible for labour market policy in the area is the Provincial Labour Office in Poznań.

The Wielkopolska Region is one of the most dynamically developing regions in Poland. It is distinguished by its well-developed engineering, automotive, metallurgical and food industries. The region employs over 360,000 people in the industrial sector. Additionally, the presence of large production plants such as Volkswagen, Solaris, H. Cegielski, etc., as well as many small and medium-sized enterprises, generates high demand for well-qualified production workers, engineers and technical specialists. The convenient geographical location and extensive transport network facilitate employee mobility and access to many jobs throughout the region. Moreover, due to the location, many foreign companies invest in the Wielkopolska Region, creating additional jobs.

Self-employment is very popular and recognised in Wielkopolska. Sole proprietorships and micro-enterprises are an important element of the labour market and an expression of Wielkopolska entrepreneurship. The region is characterised by a long-standing tradition of craftsmanship and the vigorous activity of guilds and chambers in the development of crafts and training young students in such professions. Social entrepreneurship and cooperatives are also developing dynamically. Supporting innovative entrepreneurship is a priority for maintaining the region's economic development.

The high employment and low unemployment rates indicate that human resources in Wielkopolska are shrinking. According to the 10th edition of the Occupational Barometer survey, there are 32 deficit professions in the Wielkopolska Region. Although their number has been decreasing in recent years, the shortages in two areas important for the future of Wielkopolska are still very worrying, e.g.: education, which helps develop future employees, and medicine, which is becoming crucial due to the society ageing. Other sectors important to the region's economy are also facing staff shortages.

The challenge for the Wielkopolska labour market is to increase employment opportunities by adapting the education process to the expectations of employers and, at the same time, to the needs of an innovative economy. The fast pace of change on the labour market due to, e.g., progressing technological development, makes it necessary to respond flexibly to emerging demand for new competencies and qualifications. Technological progress may lead to a polarisation of the labour market, especially in terms of the replacement of human labour by modern technologies, and to an increase in demand for employees with new qualifications at the same time. It is therefore crucial to create conditions for the development of continuing education.

Detailed and up-to-date statistical information on the labour market in Wielkopolska is available on the website of the Provincial Labour Office in Poznań: https://wuppoznan.praca.gov.pl/statystyki-analizy-i-badania-rynku-pracy