An increasing number of employers in Bulgaria are looking for highly-qualified employees, instead of ensuring qualification programmes.

Labour and Social Policies Minister Emilia Maslarova presented the results of the National Statistical Institute’s (NSI) employment research, Dnevnik newspaper reported.

Only a quarter of all employers said people working in their company needed to undergo prequalification in the past three years. In 2002 their share reached 29.2 per cent.

Although 52.1 per cent of all employers said they plan to implement professional development programmes, only 6.6 per cent have done so.

The analysis shows employment figures in the last years are on the rise. In 2005 the number of employed people was 6.5 per cent higher than the figures for 2000. The employment coefficient for last year is 55.8 out of 100 people.

In 2005, 10.1 per cent of all Bulgarians remained unemployed. Unemployment among university graduates is lowest, 4.3 per cent.