From pastry chef to roofer: 100 jobs that Brussels has difficulty filling

Brussels now has more than 100 "bottleneck" occupations - jobs for which employers struggle to find staff - according to the new list published by the capital’s employment office Actiris.

This can be the result of too few candidates or candidates whose profiles do not match what employers are looking for, for example when it comes to language skills, possession of a driving licence or sufficient experience.

Care and construction sectors in particular are currently struggling with staff shortages. In the case of technical shortage occupations, the issue is mainly a lack of the right qualifications.

The image or reputation of a particular job and working conditions play a significant role in how attractive a vacancy is, Actiris noted, and some vacancies remain unfilled for longer than others.

Nine job titles have been added to the list compared to last year’s version and 12 have been removed, resulting in a total of 103 shortage occupations. Of these, 81 are considered "structural" - long-term - shortages.

New roles on the list are pastry chef/chocolatier/ice-cream maker, flat-roof roofer (pitched roofs were already on the list), commercial kitchen chef (chef was already on the list), IT operations manager, legal assistant, industrial electronics maintenance technician, commercial or lorry maintenance mechanic, vehicle technician, truck driver (fixed vehicle), and category C driving licence-holders (for driving a van or people-carrier).

Removed roles are green spaces officer, electrical goods sales assistant, sales manager, financial analyst, building and infrastructure maintenance manager, computer operator, HR manager, industrial technical inspector, quality control manager, electronic installations technician, purchasing officer, and manager of a health, social or prison institution.

Actiris compiles the list based on vacancy figures - at least 20 new vacancies within one year for a particular occupation.

The employment agency said the list of shortage occupations in Brussels highlights the need for a better match between training programmes, jobseekers and the needs of Brussels employers.

It added that continued investment in skills and attractive working conditions remains important in order to reduce these shortages.