" And what do you want to do when you grow up? Are you still struggling to answer this question clearly and convincingly? This is understandable given the multitude of jobs on the market. Indeed, it's easy to get lost ! But while there are strategies to find the right job for you, one of them offers the opportunity to bet on security. That's right, why not choose from the list of the most in-demand jobs? Find in this article the professions that are recruiting the most in 2023 !
The job market in 2023
Every year in Belgium, the Walloon, Flemish and Brussels-Capital Regions draw up a list of critical functions on their territory. These are the job offers that are more difficult to find.
Among these critical functions are the so-called shortage professions. These are the occupations for which there are too few job seekers compared to the number of positions to be filled.
According to the Manpower Barometer, although the pace of hiring is expected to slow down in the first quarter of 2023, the labour market in Belgium is expected to grow by 23 % in 2023 . Quite contrasted at the regional level, these forecasts are quite favourable in Brussels (+32%) and wiser in Flanders (+19%) and Wallonia (+18%).
So what is the reason for this increase in recruitment ? Well, it seems that this is partly due to the mass retirement of the baby boom generations. Thanks to this, some 700,000 jobs are expected to be freed up in 2023 !
In addition, there is also a large number of job creations in occupations that are " in shortage", i.e. in shortage .
Are you a student or thinking of a career change? In that case, why not take advantage of the advantages that one of these shortage professions can offer you?
The benefits of working in a profession in short supply
The biggest advantage of shortage trades is what makes them so qualified : the lack of applications. Admittedly, this is certainly far from being advantageous for the sectors that suffer terribly from this shortage. Nevertheless, it is a serious asset for members of this profession. Indeed, having become rare in the market, they know that they will have very few competitors if they apply to a place. This will seriously increase their chances of being hired !
So, if you are looking for a job, training for one of these trades will certainly increase your chances of getting a job !
In addition, working in a sector that brings together several "shortage" occupations can sometimes allow you to climb the ladder more quickly. Indeed, in the hospitality industry, it is not uncommon, for example, for a person initially hired as a dishwasher to become a commis de cuisine, then a chef de rang !
Many jobs in short supply are also passion jobs. People who choose to work in these professions do so primarily out of passion and do not perceive their activity as a job. What makes them want to go to work every day is above all the fact that they feel useful. They feel that they are contributing something to society and that, much more than their salary, drives them !
The list of professions that are recruiting in 2023
Here we are ! The list you've been waiting for! Find out below which sectors are hiring the most in 2023.
Careers in finance and real estate
In first place, with a 41% increase in demand, are the finance and real estate sectors.
Finance includes both the banking and insurance sectors. Essential to any economic activity, this field is doing very well with an increasing number of recruitments each year.
As for the real estate sector, it is sounding the alarm. According to the Professional Institute of Real Estate Agents (IPI), the significant shortage of real estate agents could become problematic for the more than 90,000 condominiums existing in Belgium.
Thus, the most in-demand jobs this year in finance and real estate are :
Financial Controller
Senior Accountant/Accountant Manager
Financial Manager
Financial Analyst
Real Estate Agent/Real Estate Trustee
IT jobs
In second place, the IT sector, i.e. information technology, recorded an increase of 37%.
Indeed, since covid, IT jobs have had the wind in their sails. Occupations in short supply in the IT sector are not just purely technical profiles. Business and communication skills are also increasingly required.
The specialist magazine Computable Belgium has listed the 7 professions with a shortage in the IT sector in our country :
Software Developer
Full Stack Developer
Data Analyst
Database Administrator
Network Administrator
Integration & Implementation Expert
IT Manager/IT Manager (CIO)/ICT Manager
The energy sector
With 33% more demand, the energy sector is at the bottom of the podium.
Nowadays, energy is an integral part of the news. But this sector also has jobs in short supply, among other things because of the transition to green technologies. Indeed, the latter gives a new impetus to jobs in the energy sector.
The most sought-after jobs in the energy sector in 2023 are :
Electrician
Energy Advisor
Maintenance Technician
Refrigeration Technician
Technical Manager
Electromechanical Technician
Commercial Clerk
Research & Development
Public services and education
Employers also report positive hiring forecasts in the public service and education sectors (+25%).
In Belgium, despite a steady increase in the number of teachers over the past 10 years, many schools still suffer from a shortage of teachers in all levels and for almost all subjects.
Thus, the most in-demand positions in the public service and education are :
Modern Language Teacher
Professor of Economics
Science Teacher
Geography Teacher
Mathematics Teacher
Language Immersion Teacher
Second Language Teacher
Teacher in special secondary education
Driving school instructor
Pedagogical Coordinator
Educator-Coach
Adult Trainer
Public Safety Officer
Social Worker
Healthcare professions
Reputed to never experience a crisis, the health professions are once again joining the ranking of the jobs that recruit the most with a 22% increase in demand.
Indeed, nurses, doctors and doctors are and will always be essential professions of the future. And to believe that they could one day be totally replaced by machines is a delusion ! These jobs require patience, good communication and social skills to best support patients. In short, human qualities that a robot would never be able to match.
In this sector, the nursing profession is by far the one that is most lacking. Currently, Belgium is facing a shortage of 10,000 candidates !
The most sought-after profiles in 2023 are :
Nurse at home and in nursing homes
Operating Room Nurse
Head Nurse
Social Nurse
Nurse specialized in childcare (pediatric nurse)
Caregiver
Physician (general practitioner, emergency physician, geriatrician)
Occupational therapist
Physiotherapist
Medical Imaging Technologist
Hospital Pharmacist
Manufacturing, construction and agriculture
On a par with the healthcare sector, those in manufacturing, construction and agriculture also recorded an increase of 22%.
The most in-demand jobs are :
Pipelayer
Formworker
Mason
Ceiling lamp
Carpenter
Roofer
Structural insulation and roofing
Plumbing and heating fitter
Fountain Maker
Air Conditioning/Ventilation Fitter
Refrigeration fitter
Glazier
Tiler
Baker/Pastry Chef
Slaughterer (meat processing)
Boning cutter
Butcher
Agricultural Mechanic
Logistics and transport jobs
With demand up by 19%, the logistics and transport sector also has a rather favourable employment outlook. With the proliferation of mobile applications offering home delivery services, year after year, the job market will need more and more logistics jobs. Bus drivers are also in high demand in Belgium. Belgian bus and coach companies are looking for more than 1,500 drivers !
The most sought-after profiles in the logistics and transport sector are :
Truck driver
Bus/Coach Driver
Logistics Manager
Careers in the hospitality industry
Recruitment intentions in the hospitality sector are also significantly lower (+9%).
However, if you are looking for a position in this sector, you should know that these are the most in demand:
Bartender
Head Chef
Chef de partie
Cook
Kitchen assistant
Hotel Receptionist/Front Desk Manager
Quick Service Food Manager
Brew bar waiter
Restorative server
Chambermaid
Apply now to companies that are committed to social and environmental good. This hand-picked list of potential employers who have a positive impact on our society.
The whole Meet My Job team wishes you the best of luck for your professional future! 🚀