The prudence of Umbrian companies in hiring in the direct tourism sector (accommodation and catering services, tourist services), both in June 2024 and in the June-August quarter, sends not only the employment balance of the sector into deficit, but also – much more slightly – the more general one of total hirings in Umbria compared to 2023 and 2022 data.
This emerges from the new data from the Excelsior Information System – managed by Unioncamere-Anpal – relating to the forecasts of employment income in the month of June and in the June-August quarter, as regards industrial and service companies. It should be remembered that the data from the Excelsior Information System are based on extensive and continuous monitoring of the business system: as many as 110,000 companies involved, who express their forecasts on the calls to work they plan to make in the following months.
In detail, in Umbria in June 2024 companies expect to make 5,560 job placements, compared to the 5,850 in the same month of 2023 (-300, -5.1%) and the 6,160 in 2022. An annual contraction in hiring, that expected in Umbria, decidedly higher than both the Italian figure (-0.32%), and that of the Center (-1.5%), where the green heart of Italy recorded the worst trend in June (Tuscany +0 .4%), Marche -2.9%, Lazio -2.2%).
If the horizon extends to the summer quarter June-August, the hirings expected by companies in Umbria are 15,460, compared to 15,730 in the same quarter of 2023 (-270 job starts, -1.7%). Furthermore, in the quarter, Umbria moves against the trend compared to both the national figure (+1%) and that of the Center (+0.2%), which recorded the plus sign. But in the summer quarter, the hiring forecasts in Umbria by companies are not, unlike the single month of June, the lowest among the other three regions of the Center: compared to -1.7% in our region, in fact, Marche fared worse (-2.3%), while Tuscany (+0.5%) and Lazio (+1%) showed an increase in job placements.
It should be highlighted that, however, in the June-August 2024 quarter, hiring in Umbria, while decreasing compared to the same period in 2023, is higher than in 2022 (15,480 against 15,400). What sent Umbria’s employment balance into deficit, both in June and in the summer quarter June-August, was the prudence of the region’s tourism companies regarding job placements
The tourism sector, in terms of job placements, obviously has a key role in the June-August summer quarter; suffice it to say that, on average, the direct tourism sector represents over 21% in terms of hiring in the month of June and over 22% in the June-August quarter. And it is precisely, compared to 2023 and 2022, the weakening of the hiring forecasts by companies in the direct tourism sector (that is, without taking into consideration the job placements determined indirectly by tourism in other sectors and sectors) that send the deficit the Umbrian employment budget. In fact, in June 2024, companies in the region expect to make 1,120 hires in “accommodation and catering services, tourist services”, compared to 1,240 in 2023 (-9.7%) and 1,400 in 2022. If you look in the June-August quarter, hiring by tourism businesses is expected in Umbria at 3,420, down (-7.3%) compared to the same quarter of 2023 (3,690) and in line with the 2022 figure (3,430).
But, compared to the last pre-Covid year, 2019, hiring in Umbrian tourism in the June-August summer quarter still grew by 660 units (almost +24%). The golden years of hiring in Umbrian tourism begin in 2022, when job starts in the “accommodation and catering services, tourist services” sector jump to 3,430, exceeding the 2,260 of the last pre-Covid year, 2019. all after a strangely weak year, 2021 (1,830 starts in the quarter). Then there is the peak in 2023 (3,690 starts) and, as mentioned, the decline in 2024 (3,420). The sector, however, in the summer quarter of 2024 highlights the forecast of 660 more people hired compared to the last pre-Covid year, 2019, with an increase of 23.9%.
The characteristics of job placements in Umbria in June 2024
– In 23% of cases the expected income will be stable, i.e. with a permanent or apprenticeship contract, while in 77% it will be fixed-term (fixed-term or other contracts with a predefined duration).
– 65% of start-ups will be concentrated in the service sector and 68% in companies with fewer than 50 employees.
– 11% will be allocated to managers, specialists and technicians, a share lower than the national average (14%).
– In 56 cases out of 100, companies expect to have difficulty finding the desired profiles. The situation worsens compared to 2023, when the figure was 52 cases out of 100. Furthermore, the Umbrian figure is decidedly higher than the national average, where the difficulty in finding staff concerns 48 cases out of 100.
– For a share equal to 34% of the hirings will involve young people under 30 years of age.
– For a share equal to 22%, companies plan to hire immigrant staff.
– Only 9% of the expected revenue will be allocated to graduate staff. The Umbrian figure is once again lower than the national average, which is also unsatisfactory (11%).
– For a share equal to 63% of income, specific professional experience or experience in the same sector is required.
– Umbrian companies intending to hire are 15% of the total, less than 18% of the Italian average.
The expected hirings in the main sectors of activity
In terms of economic sectors, the Top Five of job placements in the region in the summer quarter June-August 2024 sees 3 thousand 420 hires in accommodation and catering services, 2,330 calls in trade (+310 compared to 2023), 1,700 in construction (+60 on 2023), 1,780 in personal services (the same figure as 2023), 880 in operational support services for businesses and people (-360 compared to 2023).
The required profiles
These are the expected job arrivals in Umbria by type of profile: in 35% of cases specialized workers and plant operators, in 33% commercial and service professions, in 14% generic profiles, in 11% managers, specialists and technicians, in 7% employed.
“The data from the new Excelsior survey (for June and for the summer quarter June-August), which I remember has become a real point of reference for forecasts on hiring by companies thanks to the involvement of as many as 100,000 companies representing the Italian entrepreneurial heritage – comments Giorgio Mencaroni, president of the Chamber of Commerce – this time they don’t let Umbria shine, which suffers a decline greater than the national average and that of the Center. Compared to 2023, the Umbrian industry is moving backwards (-50 starts in June, -90 in the summer quarter), as well as services (-230 hires in June, -190 in the quarter).
The forecasts of tourism companies on the hiring they intend to make weigh on the trend of new hires in services, which are down compared to 2023 both in June and in the June-August quarter. But the situation, as I have already had the opportunity to declare, could turn out to be better in the light of the facts because there could be an excess of prudence in the forecasts of tourism companies. Let’s also keep in mind that the Umbria Region’s summer promotional campaign, which has had gratifying results in the past, has yet to show all its effects.
Finally, the very serious problem of companies’ difficulty in finding the professional figures they need remains, and indeed worsens. In this context, we need an organic and persistent policy that includes, in addition to training and everything needed to overcome this mismatch, also a cut in the tax wedge, to increase the real income of workers and stimulate supply of work. In Italy and Umbria, given this serious difficulty in finding personnel on the part of companies, there is a very large area of inactive people. A situation that absolutely must be removed if we want to remove this boulder from the path of economic and social growth and development.”
 and 15,460 in the summer quarter (-1.7%)){kind=link}