“We need skilled workers like electricians, refrigeration technicians, lathe operators and milling machine operators and such trades have not been taught in Romanian schools for 12 to 13 years. We work with people close to retirement and no one is coming to replace them,” the entrepreneur said.
Betty Ice employs about 1,000 people in its plant and ice cream stands and shops throughout the country during season. In the past few years, Romanian entrepreneurs and multinational companies have repeatedly brought up the issue of the lack of skilled workers caused by the closing of vocational schools.
Vasile Armenean says a possible solution could be the opening of Romanian labor market to people from the nearby countries who could fill the vacancies caused by the Romanians who left for work abroad or by those who do not want to work.
Betty Ice posted 113 million lei (EUR25 million) revenue last year, an increase of 30% on 2014, as a result of the good weather and the food VAT cut from 24% to 9% as of June 1. Profit stood at RON22.6 million, three times higher than in 2014. (EUR1=RON4.5146)
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)