The Swiss job market saw a modest upturn in the third quarter. The Swiss Job Market Index, compiled by Adecco with the help of the University of Zurich, gained 0.8 points both quarter on quarter and year on year, to stand at 131.5 points. The figures come from a press release issued on Thursday by the recruitment group and relayed by the AWP and Keystone-SDA news agencies.

A measured rise, over both horizons

The increase is the same whether the index is compared with the previous quarter or with the same period last year: +0.8 points in both cases. The size of the gain remains small relative to the level of the index, at 131.5 points, which justifies the word “modest” used in the news reports.

This is an observation about the past quarter, not a forecast: the press release, as reported, says nothing about the expected trend for the coming months.

Manual and technical trades in the lead

The trend was driven primarily by manual and technical trades. Construction workers come first, followed by electricians and polymechanics, according to Adecco’s press release.

For companies in these sectors, this may mean stiffer competition to attract skilled candidates; for people trained in these trades, more job opportunities. The sources, however, give no figures for the number of positions concerned or the salaries offered.

Artificial intelligence, a threat seen as limited

The report also addresses automation. Its authors estimate that a quarter of the occupations cited are moderately threatened by automation made possible by artificial intelligence. Only 2% are considered to be at high risk. This is an assessment by the authors, not an observed loss of jobs.

This ranking is consistent with the nature of the occupations at the top of demand: hands-on trades, carried out on construction sites or installations, only a very small share of which the authors consider to be at high risk.

What the index does not say

Reports on the press release do not detail the regional breakdown of demand, nor the trend in other sectors, such as services or finance. Nor do they set the index against other economic indicators. The Swiss Job Market Index should therefore be read here as an overall signal: a labour market that is firming slightly, driven above all by skilled trades and technical professions.

Sources

  • Allnews: “The job market is looking for tradespeople and technicians”
  • SWI swissinfo.ch: “Swiss job market looks for tradespeople and technicians”