The number of employed people is back to 2008 levels, according to the ING Economics Bureau, but could be higher, especially among lower and middle-skilled people. This mismatch in the labor market is being addressed by Innovatiecluster Drachten, among others. ”It attracts technical talent for the high-tech industry to the region by developing its own courses and working intensively with (international) educational institutions," according to the bank's publication.
Tight labor market
Although unemployment in Fryslân has fallen, the bank anticipates that job growth will gradually slow in 2019. This does not apply to Fryslân's healthcare sector, where demand for workers will still increase. Even though the tension in the labor market is smaller than in most other provinces, ING says there will also be tightness in Fryslân in 2019. ”This will occur mainly in the technical, ICT, healthcare and logistics sectors." In 2018, the number of open vacancies was 30 percent higher than a year earlier. The bank expects Fryslân's unemployment rate to fall slightly further this year, to 12,000 (3.8%).
The southern Frisian economy, where agrifood, manufacturing and construction occupy a prominent position, is growing more strongly than the northern part. In Leeuwarden, job growth is stalling mainly due to digitalization in financial institutions and the public sector.