Incorporating qualified professionals, one of the main challenges of the sector

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation presents a report in which it analyzes the impact of the telecommunications and audiovisual sectors on the economy as a whole.

The sector faces the challenge of incorporate qualified professionals to achieve greater growth of the companies that comprise them. The study, prepared with the collaboration of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, includes a detailed x-ray of the economic impact of both branches on the economy as a whole, in terms of production, employment and productivity, as well as a survey that reflects the challenges they consider the companies that operate in them face.

In the last two years the 69.5% of companies of the sector of telecommunications who have hired professionals, They express difficulty in incorporating all types of profiles, especially those related to engineers (59% of these companies), system managers (20%), marketing professionals (13.3%), among others. In this area, the percentage of companies that expressed difficulties in finding intermediate technicians related to Vocational Training is very relevant. 44.3% of the companies that hired personnel within the sector indicated this option.

The sector audiovisual is going through a similar situation, but to a lesser extent. 38.4% of companies in the sector that have hired in the last two years have reported difficulties in finding qualified professionals. Among the most in-demand profiles Those related to production (32.6% of these companies), programming (23.3%) or content creation/aggregation (22.1%) stand out. The report also highlights the high demand for profiles related to the technical training provided by Vocational Training, such as operators and technicians. 53.5% of the companies that hired personnel in the last two years indicated this type of profiles.

Impact on the economy

Although they share challenges, difficulties and expectations, and have in common the same reality shaped by globalization, technology, changes in consumer habits and talent, the telecommunications and audiovisual sectors are differentiated by their weight in the Spanish economy. He 3.3% of Gross Added Value (GVA) generated by the economy in 2018 was directly or indirectly related to telecommunications services, while 1.1% of this figure depended directly and indirectly on the audiovisual industry.

Furthermore, in that year, 2.3% of the employment generated by the Spanish economy depended directly or indirectly on telecommunications services, with a total of 474,891 jobs. With respect to the audiovisual industry, that same year the figure amounted to 1% of employment, 205,118 jobs, generated by our entire economy.

All of this highlights the importance that both sectors have both in the present and in the future, especially due to their multiplier effect on activity and employment.

Specifically, in the case of the telecommunications sector, in 2018, for every 100 euros of production generated by its services, 121 additional euros were obtained in the rest of the branches of activity of the economy, and for every 100 jobs created, 532 additional jobs were generated in other activities. And although to a lesser extent, the audiovisual sector also presents a significant multiplier effect: for every 100 jobs generated during that year in the sector, 186 additional jobs were created in other branches; and for every 100 euros of production derived from the content industry, an additional 102 euros were generated in the rest of the branches of economic activity.

In terms of productivity, both sectors exceed the average for the Spanish economy, with the case of telecommunications being especially notable, a branch that has been doubling that average since 2015 (in 2018, for example, the sector reached 126,694 euros of GVA per employee, compared to the 56,385 euros of the national average). The audiovisual sector, for its part, also above the national level, had a productivity of 63,505 euros per employee in 2018.

Regarding the level of internationalizationIn 2017, exports from the telecommunications sector represented 0.44% of the total Spanish economy, and imports 0.56% of the total. Similar percentages are presented by the audiovisual sector. That same year, it exported 0.47% of the Spanish economy's total foreign sales and imported 0.57% of the total. In both cases, their exports are mainly directed to EU countries.

These figures show the wide room for improvement that companies in both sectors still have in terms of internationalization. According to data from the survey carried out among companies, only 27.1% of companies in the telecommunications sector have foreign business, whether exporting services or productive activity in third countries. However, it is worth highlighting how, despite the low weight of exports from the audiovisual sector in the total economy, 40.2% of companies in the sector have foreign business, although for 46% of them, the resulting turnover represents less than 10% of total turnover.

Additionally, in the audiovisual case, companies were consulted about the interest that some measures to attract international audiovisual production to Spain. Of the proposed measures, the one that aroused the most interest was the establishment or increase of tax deductions, being selected by 50.4% of the companies. Secondly, the promotion of Spain as a place to develop productions was considered relevant by 44.7% of the companies. 44.0% of companies are in favor of simplifying the necessary administrative procedures and 42.9% advocate establishing or increasing direct subsidies.

Access to the full report Analysis of the economic impact of the telecommunications and audiovisual content sectors.