With the admissions process to Lithuanian universities and colleges underway, many high school graduates are contemplating which field of study to pursue. Often, they seek professions that promise good earnings and career prospects in the future. Job market experts and major Lithuanian employers, including the EPSO-G group of companies, offer advice on what to consider when choosing studies and which professions are currently the most in-demand.
This year, those applying to higher education institutions in Lithuania can choose from more than 600 study programs. Business psychologist Dr. Natalija Norvilė acknowledges that the choice of future studies often determines one’s career path, so this decision should be made thoughtfully and after doing certain “homework”.
“To choose the right studies, first of all, it is essential to know yourself well, understand your strengths and weaknesses, and be aware of your interests and values. Later, once you have clarified your strengths, you must research which sectors in Lithuania or Europe are currently growing and what specialists are most needed in the market. Finally, having chosen the sector you want to work in, I recommend starting to build connections with people working in that field. This can be done at various live events as well as on the social network LinkedIn,” shares Dr. N. Norvilė, an expert at the personnel management consulting company Addelse.
Highlighting the Most Promising Sectors
The business consultant identifies five sectors where the chances of getting the best job offers in the future are the highest.
“Currently, we can highlight the growing IT, healthcare, energy, e-commerce, and logistics sectors. These include areas such as data science, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, pharmacy, sustainability, and renewable energy,” notes Dr. N. Norvilė.
She adds that the energy sector, one of the fastest-growing in Lithuania, stands out with a high and constantly increasing demand for specialists, stability, the opportunity to work in sustainability and climate change mitigation, and contribute to the development of new technologies.
“The profile of people working in the energy sector is very broad and diverse, but for those planning a career specifically in this field, an engineering education is necessary. For years, we have seen a trend that graduates of these studies often find well-paid jobs in both private and state-owned Lithuanian energy companies and have the opportunity to contribute to innovative projects that positively impact society and the environment,” says Dr. N. Norvilė.
Energy Sector: Top 3 Most In-Demand Specialties
One of the largest employers in Lithuania’s energy sector, the EPSO-G group of companies, identifies three specialties that have been the most in-demand in recent years: relay protection and automation (RPA) engineers, regime planning engineers, and RPA and electronics parts designers.
“Currently, the demand for these specialists in the market is already huge and, moreover, it is growing every year. Electrical engineers, among whom the number of women successfully finding careers in this field is increasing, will have even stronger positions in the job market in the future and will be among the most sought-after employees,” says Simona Grinevičienė, Head of Organizational Development and Culture at EPSO-G.
She notes that the demand for RPA engineers will grow significantly in the coming years. “As technology changes and improves, the electrical system is constantly being modified, and it is impossible to manage this process without RPA engineers. These specialists are responsible for system tuning and commissioning, ensuring that electricity reaches consumers safely and reliably. We eagerly await electrical engineering graduates who can immediately join the teams of Tetas or Litgrid within the EPSO-G group and enrich their theoretical knowledge with practical skills by learning from professionals in this field,” she emphasizes.
S. Grinevičienė also points out that the energy sector is large, rapidly changing, and complex. As it expands, the need for specialists in other fields, such as lawyers, analysts, IT and cybersecurity specialists, and entirely new areas such as green energy or hydrogen technology engineers, also increases.
A Shortage of at Least 2500 Workers
According to S. Grinevičienė, the ongoing changes in the country’s energy sector indicate that the future job market prospects for qualified workers, especially those with an engineering education, are very favorable.
She highlights that the updated National Energy Independence Strategy anticipates that by 2030 , at least an additional 2500 workers will be needed in state-controlled energy sector companies alone. Additionally, approximately 1300 new jobs are expected to be created in offshore wind farms.
“Modern energy engineering is also changing and has already moved beyond the boundaries of traditional engineering, so young specialists preparing to work in this field will have an extremely interesting and dynamic job. Future energy engineers will work with artificial intelligence and other rapidly evolving technologies, so this job requires not only theoretical knowledge but also the desire and ability to constantly learn,” says EPSO-G representative S. Grinevičienė.
EPSO-G group of companies supports cooperation with Lithuanian higher education institutions and provides long-term scholarships to those who choose engineering studies. Starting this fall, the scholarships established by Amber Grid and Litgrid are being increased to 300 euros per month.
The EPSO-G group of companies consists of the management company EPSO-G and five directly controlled companies: Amber Grid, Baltpool, Energy cells, Litgrid, and Tetas. EPSO-G and group companies also hold shares in GET Baltic, Baltic RCC OÜ, and TSO Holding AS. The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania implements the rights and responsibilities of the sole shareholder of EPSO-G.
