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Over half of Romanians had to improve their skills to avoid losing their jobs
The pace of change in recent months has accelerated, with a direct impact on the way we work, learn and adapt. In this context of labor market transformation, bestjobs, whose CEO, Andrei Frunza, will be present on April 15 at the Working Romania event organized by Business Review, conducted a survey that reveals an increasingly clear reality: Romanians learn out of necessity. Specifically, 58% of respondents stated that they had to improve their skills several times, either to keep their job or to advance in their career, a trend that is increasingly reflected in the way candidates constantly update their skills in their CVs.
In this sense, technology is becoming not only a catalyst for change, but also a valuable resource for those who want to keep up: 23% of employees say they have already learned something new with the help of artificial intelligence, and 33% would like to try it. AI is most frequently used for the accumulation of theoretical notions (35%), practical skills (32%) and in creative and recreational activities (20%).
The reasons why Romanians choose to learn new things are closely linked to the desire for professional progress and adaptation. 54% of employees want to advance in their careers, and 47% want to remain competitive in the labor market. Also, 53% say they learn out of passion, while 37% want to keep up with technological changes or prepare for a possible change in field. A significant percentage (26%) say that the nature of their job requires them to constantly update their knowledge. However, 40% have not followed any form of learning for over a year, and 9% have never participated in a development program.
Romanians’ preferred learning activities are generally flexible and applied, and increasingly supported by technology and artificial intelligence. Online courses are preferred by 51% of respondents, followed by workshops or practical training (40%) and physical courses (37%). In addition, practical projects at the workplace (33%) and certification programs (23%) are popular options, while self-learning through free resources, books or tutorials is preferred by 21%.
However, lifelong learning comes with a number of challenges that prevent employees from focusing on such activities. 72% of respondents say that lack of time is the main obstacle, 53% mention the high cost of courses, and 44% do not receive support from their employer in professional development.
Most employees believe that continuous learning is not just a personal initiative, but a direct responsibility of the employer. 82% of respondents expect their employer to provide them with clear opportunities for training and professional development. To achieve this goal, 67% believe that employers should provide internal training and courses, 35% support the implementation of mentoring and coaching programs, and 33% consider the creation of individual development plans essential.
Other appreciated solutions include access to workshops and conferences with experts (33%) and allocating time dedicated to learning within the work schedule (26%).
The bestjobs survey was conducted in March, on a sample of 745 internet users.