27 December, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Unemployment in the Vitebsk region is changing its female face to a male one. For the first time in several years, the number of unemployed men has exceeded the number of women, as reported today at a press conference by the Chairman of the Committee for Labour, Employment and Social Protection, Alexander Khristoforov, in response to a question from a BELTA correspondent. The proportion of men among registered unemployed this year is 51%, compared to 49% last year. If in 2011 the average unemployed person in the Vitebsk region was a 34-year-old woman with a general secondary education, now it is a 32-year-old man with a secondary school certificate. As noted by Alexander Khristoforov, the labour market situation in the region remains stable, controlled, and manageable. This year, the region's labour market has been shaped by the structural restructuring of the economy, influenced by demographic and economic factors. There are 6.2 thousand vacancies for 3.2 thousand registered unemployed. The structure of demand for workers has practically not changed. The labour market is oriented towards blue-collar professions, which account for about 85% of the total vacancies declared by employers. Demand is widespread for construction workers, agricultural workers, wood processing industry workers, seamstresses, sales assistants, and drivers. There is also a shortage of doctors in the region. Employment services note an increased demand for highly skilled workers with several related professions and work experience. -0-

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