The shortage of workers with adequate knowledge and skills is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses in Montenegro, highlighting the gap between education and labor market needs, said Nina Drakić, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro (PKCG).
Speaking at a roundtable titled “Connecting Labor Market Needs and Active Employment Policies,” jointly organized by the Chamber of Commerce and the Employment Agency of Montenegro (ZZZ), Drakić emphasized that aligning education with market demand is crucial for the country’s economic stability and competitiveness.
“Business is not only the driver of economic growth – it is also the state’s partner in building a strong society. When we invest together in strengthening the domestic workforce, in knowledge and skills, and in creating a stable labor market, we build a competitive economy and a society where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed,” Drakić said.
She underlined that the Chamber plays a key role as a bridge between the private and public sectors, connecting education and the economy in ways that produce tangible results – ensuring that young people acquire skills truly demanded by employers.
According to a joint statement from PKCG and ZZZ, the roundtable brought together representatives from the Chamber’s sectoral boards, institutions, and employers, who discussed the main challenges, skill shortages, and proposals for strengthening cooperation with the Employment Agency.
David Perčobić, Director of ZZZ, said that reforming the Employment Agency is a complex but necessary process to align the institution with EU standards. He thanked colleagues for contributing to the transformation process, emphasizing that its success depends on strong cooperation with the business community.
“A new catalog of measures is being developed to make all active employment policies easily accessible to both jobseekers and employers. Our goal is to be flexible, dynamic, and efficient in implementing these measures, enabling employers to quickly find the workers they need,” said Perčobić.
He added that future decisions by the Agency will be based on surveys and research among employers to ensure that measures are tailored to real market needs, with a focus on training in IT, tourism, energy, and trades. Special attention will be given to integrating hard-to-employ groups, as their inclusion reduces social inequality.
Gordana Bošković, Acting Assistant Director of ZZZ, noted that research conducted among 360 employers clearly shows the need to modernize active employment measures and align them more closely with the actual needs of businesses.
She said the Agency will focus on developing internship and training programs in partnership with employers, as well as introducing micro-qualifications to enable quick, targeted training in high-demand occupations.
“Our goal is to make the employment system more flexible, efficient, and responsive to labor market needs. The Employment Agency aims to position itself as a strategic partner of the economy and a central bridge between labor supply and demand, contributing to a more dynamic and sustainable labor market in Montenegro,” Bošković explained.
Gordana Vukčević, also Acting Assistant Director at ZZZ, emphasized that the Agency’s main role is to ensure the economy has access to a qualified workforce and to connect the unemployed with employers.
“We want to prepare unemployed individuals for the labor market and connect them with employers seeking exactly their profiles. Around nine percent of the unemployed face difficulties finding work, often due to a lack of work habits, which is why we organize training and workshops to prepare and empower them,” Vukčević said.
She called on employers to cooperate more closely with local employment offices to communicate workforce needs promptly.
“Our mission is to mobilize all capacities to create the workforce you need. We are dedicated to supporting you and will find ways to meet your requirements,” she added.
During the panel “Economic Perspectives – Key Challenges and Needs,” business representatives highlighted the importance of developing domestic labor, green and digital skills, and addressing the shortage of qualified workers. They warned that without systemic action, this problem will deepen in the coming years.
Participants agreed that Montenegro’s potential EU accession represents both a major challenge and an opportunity to improve standards and workforce quality. They stressed that dialogue between institutions and the business sector must translate into concrete actions, focused on investment in knowledge, innovation, and technology.
The roundtable concluded that success depends on strong cooperation between public institutions and businesses, and that building a sustainable partnership between the Employment Agency and the private sector—based on trust, shared goals, and a long-term vision—is essential for stable growth, higher employment, and preparing Montenegro’s workforce for the European labor market.
