For the time speaking, nothing at all, no evolution, just a sticky swamp here in Greece

PS If you are son or grandchild of a political family, then, yes, you have a fruitful future...

Nowadays, basic computer skill is required even for  for low cadre jobs.  To my knowledge,  IT skills  and management skills are the most wanted skills in the current job market. 

It's in French, but it might give an idea about the situation in France (see link)

http://www.lefigaro.fr/emploi/2015/04/28/09005-20150428ARTFIG00063-emploi-six-graphiques-pour-savoir-o-en-sera-la-france-en-2022.php

Think about a population that get's older. How to cope with this?

Following set of skills are high in demand:

1. Technical skills, behavioral-interpersonal skills, service orientation, and IT and computing skills are needed highly in lower level jobs.

2. For upper level jobs, behavioral-interpersonal skills, service orientation, and conceptual-decision making skills are high in demand.

3. Soft skills are needed across levels.

Marcel, thanks for the article.

Immigration. There is always the issue of how people feel about mass immigration. I think a lot of countries are facing the same problem of too many retirees and not enough (young domestic talent) replacement workers to fill the vacancies. Still, I don't think France will have a problem finding the people they need to replace the retiring boomers as a lot of people would like to live there, myself included. However, there are cultural and social concerns that will impact the nature of the country greatly. 

What concerns you most about the demographic changes?

My country is in perpetual building site is much more subject to technical or technological skills (Highway Construction, Metro, trams, renewable energy, housing construction). At the level of higher education and research the country has much need for guidelines on ranking teaching mentoring students and those in scientific and technical fields  

For the time speaking, nothing at all, no evolution, just a sticky swamp here in Greece

PS If you are son or grandchild of a political family, then, yes, you have a fruitful future...

Dear Daryn,

Do you wonder what knowledge (skill), professions are needed in a given region or what skills are demanded to get a well-paid job?

Dear All,

Demetris’ sad but true answer means that in this part of Europe (Eastern and South-Eastern Europe) it is the corruption which flowers and rules.

Dear All,

Once upon a time lived a philosopher in Greece. He wandered in the town in the daytime with a lamp in his hand and when asked why, he answered, he was looking for an honest man. His name was Diogenes. Now, armies of men should wander with reflectors and look for honest politicians. By the way, it would be sufficient to vote for the right persons…

Dear all.

The sad story told by Demetris, Roland and Andras is unfortunately true for many developing and underdeveloped countries.

In Southern Italy the crisis strongly affects job offers. Some opportunities are available for Naval Architect Super Yachts, Junior Embedded Software Engineer and Commercial Consultant. 

In the US there is apparently a great demand now for "Data Scientists" -- I have heard that putting this in your resume can be very helpful.  There is a lot of interest in 'big data', developing metrics from 'messy data' like online social networks, statistical analysis of complex, multilevel data, etc. 

Napoleon,

Profit is an outcome? But I get your point.... :)

Daryn

Dear Daryn Dyer ,

I live in the city of Baku in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani oil is known for. The science is connected with oil well develops.

Best regards, Shafagat

Dear Daryn, I live in Chennai, India. My city has a population of 4.3 million. It is a IT hub, industrial hub and has an export promotion zone. It has a major railway zone, an international airport and one of India's major ports, apart from being a major road transport center. The metropolitan bus service has over 4000 buses servicing 3900 sq km. It is an educational hub with 26 universities and god-knows-how-many colleges (wiki lists 26 pages full of colleges in Chennai). It is impossible to count the number of schools in Chennai. According to one estimate the number is 1221.

It also has a oil refinery, and a nuclear power plant. Chennai is known as the HEALTH CAPITAL OF INDIA, attracting 45 percent of all foreign health tourists and 40 percent of Indian health tourists. The city has over 12500 beds in its hospitals (2012) and this sectors continues to grow. Chennai houses some of the biggest shopping and other complexes in the country which need thousands of manual and skilled labor to support their activities.

It is impossible therefore to say which set of skills are most needed in my city. It could use every possible skill and still demand more. On a lighter vein, there are 123 countries and dependencies in the world whose population is much less than my city, for example Croatia, Namibia, Kuwait, Georgia, Mongolia, Armenia, Lithuania....

Dear @Daryn, in Serbia there is no skills demands for the job, but money - bribes and membership card of the ruling political party! It looks like a totalitarian system,  failed state!

Oh well, unfortunately it is so very true  what the previous peers from this (developing and corrupted) part of the world have claimed. For instance, here in Romania we need business consulting and project manager skills, but to eventually  get the contracts, money and information, the candidate needs the right connections or parents,..

Dear Barbara,

Knowledge is not demanded?

The features you stressed – as I think – are good for nothing without knowledge. The main trouble of these days is that people cannot see the forest for the trees. They do not see the picture which matters.

As indicated by Fadel, in Algeria there is a need of people skilled in construction, unfortunately companies who are in charge of the building and construction sites employ foreigners. For Algerian people the best skills in demand are how to make big money, how to make good connections for "les affaires", and how to get high positions to be more closer to the public finances and state budget for corruption purpose (je t'arrange ... tu m'arranges !... ) In fact the more successful people are who are engaged in import-import services and in politics

Based on a report on Canadian hiring projections in 2015, 

Sectors anticipating the most hiring:

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate sector

Manufacturing − Durables

Public Administration

Construction

Transportation & Public Utilities

Sectors with the lowest projected hiring

Manufacturing − Non-Durables sector

Mining sector

Education

Retail

http://www.workopolis.com/content/advice/article/canadas-hiring-projections-for-2015-where-the-jobs-will-and-wont-be/

This is a good question, apparently with many different answers.

In Manitoba, the largest employers are Manitoba Hydro and the University of Manitoba.

Manitoba Hydro (MH) is a crown corporation that derives its income from energy derived from hydro-eletric power plants.   MH employs many electrical engineers and some computer engineers as well as a substantial service force.

The University of Manitoba has a huge service sector that maintains various physical plants on campus.   So there is a steady demand for service personnel.

The third very important employer is the agricultural industry.    This includes not only farms but also processing plants for crops and grain elevators to handle the fairly massive grain crop harvest each year.

Dear All,

Thank you for your participation thus far,

The responses have been very interesting and from what I have seen so far, it is difficult to draw conclusions. I do intend to comment further once the threads wind down.

Again, thanks for the responses and I hope to hear more,

Daryn

Dear @Daryn, this article bring fine information about STEM skills!

http://www.manmonthly.com.au/news/stem-skills-crucial-for-workforce-research?mid=873fd4ba0e&utm_source=Cirrus+Media+Newsletters&utm_campaign=4192045880-Manufacturers+Monthly+Newsletter+-+2015043&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fe913f1856-4192045880-59145617

Soft skills --- and specifically, skills for managing Diverse Workforce!

Dear All,

To go back to the ability list of Barbara, I need the honesty, reliability, ethics, classical education and imagination. Regarding my own experience, many of these conservative qualities have become unnecessary. What do you think?   

Hi Again,

Here are a few thoughts on the economy of my home town:

I am originally from London, Canada. It is about 170 Km to Toronto (north) and 140 Km to Detroit (south). The economy is driven by the health care, small parts manufacturing, post secondary education, construction, transportation (goods & people) and the service sector. Moreover, the economy reflects being pulled in each direction by the two much larger markets. Detroit is a (declining) manufacturing hub for the US automotive industry. In contrast, Toronto is fairly diversified, in particular, an important culture and financial hub for Canada. Many of London's young talent are pulled to Toronto, Ottawa (the Capital of Canada) and Alberta (Canada's energy rich region). It should also be noted that London is surrounded by a significant agricultural component much of which is dairy.  Having said all that, skills in demand include:

One of the challenges London Canada-based employers face, is losing these employees once they have roughly three years of experience to, Toronto, Alberta or Ottawa (probably in that order). 

Daryn

Rolland,

It's a shame, but unskilled workers generally end up in the service sector. The other option is to get a skill or move.

Daryn

Dear all,

Sometimes it is the prejudice that hinder the evolution. Take the example of the first creator of computers, Alan Turing,which played an important role in the reduction in "about two years" of the 2nd World War and because of being gay was removed from university and ended up committing suicide, only being recognized his importance for science by the queen Elizabeth III about 50 years later ....

Helena

Service oriented skills are in demand now-a-days, as service industry is growing!

DO PEACEKEEPERS’ SOFT SKILLS MATTER? THE CASE OF EUFOR OPERATION ALTHEA is a research article about EUFOR members in Bosnia and Herzegovina! "This study aims to determine the role of the soft skills of adaptation, relations with locals, relations with other peacekeepers, stress management and cultural awareness, in accomplishing peacekeeping operations... According to our

findings, soft skills matter both in military and civilian contexts, in connection with the evolving concept of international military interventions. Therefore, soft skills have become one of the essential issues to which attention should be paid, in addition to peacekeepers’ technical skills, because, peacekeepers act in almost peaceful but stressful environments which are prone to change toward conflicts easily..."

http://www.academia.edu/9432870/Do_Peacekeepers_Soft_Skills_Matter_The_Case_of_EUFOR_Operation_ALTHEA

Mr. Jacić,

A good example that reinforces the power of soft skills.

Thx,

D 

Dear Daryn,

I have observed your list on skills in demand in Canada.

Medical specialists: (all types)

Nurses

Pharmacists

Medical professionals, lab technologists, x-ray technicians, semi-skilled medical staff

Regarding the first four skills Hungary has been a net exporter to Europe and overseas which means that we are short of these professionals.  Young and talented people with good skills escape from here in the hope of a better life.

 Good version, Dear Jacic-----------------------" .... soft skills have become one of the essential issues to which attention should be paid, in addition to peacekeepers’ technical skills, because, peacekeepers act in almost peaceful but stressful environments which are prone to change toward conflicts easily..."

Thanks

Mr. Bozsik

In response to your comment regarding skill and talent losses in your home country. Many of the jobs in my home town and nationally are filled via migrated-relocated workers from just about every nation on earth.

I am sorry to hear about the loss of talent.

Daryn

Serbia is also an exporter of medical doctors! Increasing number of doctors "leaving Serbia" is fact! They are leaving for Germany and Norway...!!! 

http://www.telegraf.rs/english/1521783-serbia-is-left-with-a-deficit-of-1-000-doctors-and-nurses-these-are-the-two-countries-they-are-leaving-for

Dear Daryn,

Thanks for your answer. I would like to know whether the order of your list does express also the social and financial appreciation of the persons doing these professions?

Mr. Bozsik,

I am sorry about the loss of talent.

I grouped the jobs by industry, medical field, construction, engineering etc. In terms of financial appreciation, I believe Medical specialists, engineers & programmers are on the high end of the earning scale. Whereas, unskilled service sector employees would be on the low end. At the very top would be successful entrepreneurs whom have original ideas and the ability to realize them.

Some government non-managerial administrators make quite a bit of money as do teachers and the wider bureaucracy. I believe these salaries to be artificial relative to demand as they are heavily unionized and I believe corruption is starting to find its way into government more today than during any period of my life.

I hope that answers your questions,

Daryn

considering my part,

I feel Soft skill including communication, body language, presentation, personality is more important to possess along with basic technical knowledge.

Here in India most of the well known company first go for ILP (Initial Learning Practice) as a part of training and later based on current level other skills are taught.

Thanks.

Learning attitude and accepting change ---- important skills!

Why accepting change is vital to your professional success - article attached, inspired by @Subhash. "Although some employees have been conditioned to fear change, we must not lose sight of the fact that change is normal, and most of us will experience unpredictable changes in both our personal and professional lives. In the workplace, changes can occur as a result of new thinking, advances in technology, innovation and progress, knowledge and communication, as well as mergers, takeovers, layoffs, and downsizing. These organizational changes can directly affect our professional lives as well as our personal lives. They may also lead to feelings of sadness, frustration, grief, and anger, especially when jobs are lost or worse, when an entire organization ceases to exist... Communication is the key. There is no doubt that employees often view change from a different perspective than their supervisors. Many employees believe that management doesn't understand their side of the story, and managers often feel it is the employees who don't understand why the change is necessary. This is why communication is so vital during any change circumstance.It's been said that lack of communication is the number one reason why personal relationships can develop problems, and the same holds true for relationships between employers and employees. Change will require open communication on both sides. Unfortunately, fear has the power to freeze employees in their tracks and prevent them from expressing their ideas and opinions..."

http://www.agiftofinspiration.com.au/stories/success/Accepting.shtml

If one is not --- open to new experience and accepting change --- other skills may not work perfectly!

Yes, some skills do work together, they are related, operating as a set of skills.

Along with other skills, as discussed by RG members, two important skills are in high demand:

1. Business analytics --- competence in data analysis, business analysis, business modeling, etc.

2. Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness --- understanding importance of diversity, demonstrating sensitivity and awareness to other people and cultures