Forecast: Growth could lead to labour shortage

Unemployment predicted to fall as new jobs are created

A new economic forecast by the industrial advocates Dansk Industri (DI) predicts more growth in private consumption and export in the coming two years, resulting in up to 32,000 new jobs. But a lack of qualified workers could hamper growth, it warns.

Turns on a warning light
Karsten Dybvad, the head of DI, explains that the Danish economy is expected to grow by 1.3 percent in 2015 and 1.7 percent in 2016. “Even though growth will just be moderate this year and next year, we can look forward to 32,000 new jobs in the private sector,” he said.

“That is a positive development but it turns on a warning light. Because as soon as next year unemployement will be getting so low that companies will have difficulty finding specialists and employees they need.”

DI expects the number of unemployed to drop from 134,000 in 2014 to 113,000 in 2016.

Dybvad sees the problem as being a priority for politicians. “If companies don’t have employees for delivering the orders, then competitors get them instead,” he said.

“Our politicians need to deal with that – also in an election campaign. There’s a great need to get all Danes that are fit to work in jobs.”





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