However, the shortage of skilled labor remains a problem for construction companies even though the urgency is perhaps different than the pre-pandemic period. Securing high-quality workers is one of the priority issues, and companies deem that its resolution requires systemic approach. 

“Improving regulations in the field of labor relations, facilitating administrative procedures for accepting and permitting foreign workers, as well as promoting cooperation between the real sector and educational facilities, aiming at increasing the attractiveness of the construction profession to young people, are some of the segments that require systemic approach and action,” concluded the construction companies at their session.

Therefore, construction companies are actively analyzing the draft proposal of the latest labor law and have already submitted constructive proposals and comments. In the coming period, the Association will request a meeting with the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy to discuss the aforementioned issues.

GDP statistics also confirm the adverse situation in construction where volume indices showed 9.1% year-on-year decline in the third quarter of 2022. Seeing the data, there is no optimistic scenario considering that at any rate, construction activity in the winter period reduces. Aiming at opening discussion on the ongoing problems in the construction industry, the activities of the relevant ministry planned for the year, the investments in building construction and infrastructure, the completion and administration of commenced capital projects, as well as on the activities undertaken by authorities in regard to the initiatives of the business community, a work meeting with the Minister of Transport and Communications was proposed immediately after the session.

At the session, the members adopted the 2022 Activity Report, as well as the 2023 Work Plan of the Association of Construction, Building Materials and Non-metal Industries, and company representatives followed a presentation on the latest DIG-IN-KPI project implemented by the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, the Croatian Chamber of Economy, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, which aims at defining common indicators as to the extent and level of digitalization of construction companies, building the capacity of construction associations under the partner chambers of commerce, and stimulating digital transformation in construction in line with the technology trends of Construction 4.0.  

Chamber representatives announced presentation on the draft indicators to the members of the construction association in the coming period, later to be used as grounds for discussion and defining key performance indicators as to the digitalization level in construction, and which will be considered while creating the new digitalization self-evaluation tool for the construction industry.

The project is supported by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ program, and DIG-IN-KPI is expected to deliver findings and proposed set of digitalization indicators that would help construction companies, educational institutions, but also authorities in the process of issuing building permits.