The list outlines the main professions in each specific field for which the OSKA labour demand study has identified an increasing demand for labour and where the demand for workforce exceeds supply. Professions for which the demand for labour stems from a circumstance outlined in the OSKA study have also been added to the list.
The central unit of analysis in OSKA studies is a main profession. A main profession is a group of professions that require sector-specific competencies essential to the functioning of the field.
The list of basic professions includes those professions that can be acquired through training, but also those in which work requires first graduating from a vocational or higher education institution, and training is rather necessary for learning up-to-date knowledge (for example, engineer, special pedagogue, speech therapist).
You can read more about the jobs and tasks of main professions on Haridusportaal
List of main professions from 1 January 2025
*We support training only when recruiting an employee with training support from the employer
1. Forestry and woodworking
- Forest machine operators (harvester and forwarder operator)
- Forestry workers
- Production manager for woodworking and log home building, incl. log home construction manager
- Woodworking and log house engineer and technician-draftsman, incl. wood chemistry engineer
- Technician for woodworking and log home construction production equipment
- Log home builder
- Bench and line operator for woodworking
- Log truck driver
2. Agriculture and food industry
- Agricultural and fisheries consultant
- Veterinarian
- Veterinary assistant
- Technical manager for food industry
- Food industry technician and mechatronic engineer
3. Machinery, metal and electronics industry, and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles
- Metallurgical and mechanical engineer
- Metal and mechanical engineering technician and mechatronic engineer
- Welder
- Manufacturer of metal products and structures
- Bench operator
- Finisher of metal products
- Machine assembler
- Electrical engineer
- Electronics technician
- Diagnostic engineer
4. Information and communications technology
- IT managers
- Business development managers
- IT quality assurance managers
- Cybersecurity managers
- Software testers
- UX/UI designers
- Data analysts
- System administrators/operators
- Database administrators
- Technicians
- Customer support specialists
- Software analysts/architects/developers
- ICT systems (incl. data communication) analysts/architects/developers/engineers
- Product owners
- ICT relationship managers
- Cybersecurity specialists*
5. Social work
- Care workers
- Support persons
- Activity supervisors
6. Chemical, rubber, plastics and building materials industries
- Industrial engineers
- Industrial equipment and machinery mechanics
- Industrial equipment and machinery setters
7. Energy and mining
- Mining engineers
- Electrical and energy engineers
- Industrial engineers
- Energy and electronics technicians, production operators and foremen
- Electricians
- Mechanics and locksmiths
8. Healthcare
- Care workers
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
9. Construction
- Building automation technicians
- Engineers
- Roofers (flat roofers)
- Construction builders (builders of wood constructions, construction carpenters)
- Works manager
- Plumbing and indoor climate locksmiths
10. Human resources, administration and business consulting
- Medical secretaries
- Career services specialists
- Career services associates
11. Clothing, textile and leather industry
- Engineers
- Technicians
- Designers
- Technologists
12. Education and science
- Speech therapists
- Special education teachers
13. Accommodation, catering and tourism
- Chefs
14. Culture and arts
- Sound technicians
- Lighting technicians
- Video technicians
- Sound engineers
- Technical executor and support for audiovisual work
15. Water and waste management and environment
- Water supply and sewage engineers
- Water treatment operators
- Plumbing and sewage locksmiths for water management
- Machine and bench operators for waste management
- Hydrologists
16. Real estate services
- Heads of maintenance and administration
- Real estate managers
- Maintenance specialists
- Heads of sanitation
17. Internal security
- Security technicians
- Fire safety specialists
18. Finance
- Risk managers
- AML specialists
- Compliance specialists
- Customer data specialists
- Customer support specialists
- Analysts
- Product owners
- Product managers
19. Logistics
- Warehouse worker
20. Transport
- Aviation communications engineer
- Shipmaster
- Ship mechanic
- Ship electrician
OSKA field studies make proposals as to the changes needed to ensure that vocational and higher education, continuing education as well as the skills of employees meet the needs of the future labour market.