According to the Spectis report, projects under construction in our country are worth approximately PLN 152 billion. The value of projects currently in the tender, planning or design stage is PLN 713 billion^[1]. These are not only construction or infrastructure projects, but also industrial projects. Huge amounts of money mean even bigger challenges.

It is worth noting that rail infrastructure investments alone, planned for 2024-2030 under several public investment programs, amount to nearly PLN 250 billion^[2]. However, this amount is more than twice the capacity of the Polish railway construction industry. And the industry is already in need of thousands of workers to realize the investments in progress. There is no doubt that a well-managed process of integration of ethno-cultural minorities could fill talent gaps, stimulate business development, strengthen the economic position of these groups, and benefit the economy and society as a whole. It takes time and determination, of course, but it is rational and driven by the needs of business and people. At stake in this game is the development of Poland and the realization of many important investments.

According to Manpower’s survey results, 33% of companies plan to expand their teams this year, 16% expect to reduce headcount, and 47% plan to keep headcount the same. We already have 29 shortage occupations where finding an employee is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Occupations such as warehousemen, electricians, electricians, locksmiths, welders, and auto mechanics are in the worst shape. The group of shortages will also expand to include kindergarten teachers and uniformed service workers^[3].

Education and activation. Increasing the role of women in the economy and automation, and finally keeping at least some of the 478,000 people who theoretically could have retired last year in the labor market, could make or break many companies and investments.

The outlook for 2024 is an ongoing topic that we will systematically return to. In upcoming articles we will write about the fact that mining still has a future, look at AI in industry and the opportunities and threats of robotization and automation. We will look at the economic consequences of war, as well as the industrial strategy of the defense sector in the EU and its possible impact on Poland.

^[1] https://portalprzemyslowy.pl/przemysl-gospodarka/gospodarka-produkcja/przed-tymi-3-wyzwaniami-stoi-branza-przemyslowa/, access: 18.03.2024.

^[2] https://spectis.pl/news/427/5/Ograniczone-zdolnosci-wykonawcow-hamulcem-dla-rozpedzajacych-sie-inwestycji-kolejowych, access: 18.03.2024.

^[3] https://portalprzemyslowy.pl/przemysl-gospodarka/gospodarka-produkcja/pracownik-w-branzy-przemyslowej-poszukiwany-jak-dotrzec-do-niego-w-internecie/, access: 18.03.2024.