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Companies in Santa Catarina Face Unprecedented Challenges to Fill Vacancies and Start Hiring Both Young Apprentices and Older Professionals, Promoting Generational Diversity and Innovation in the Workplace.
The growing difficulty in finding qualified professionals in Santa Catarina has led companies in the state to adopt innovative strategies in the search for labor, including hiring young apprentices and older workers.
The scenario was detailed by Diego Martins, president of the Brazilian Association of Human Resources of Santa Catarina (ABRH/SC), during his participation in the program Conversas Cruzadas on CBN Floripa radio, held this Wednesday (09) in Florianópolis.
According to Martins, the so-called labor shortage pressures companies to diversify their selection processes and broaden the profile of hires.
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Generational Diversity in the Workplace
According to Diego Martins, the current labor market situation in Santa Catarina is marked by an unprecedented phenomenon: the coexistence of five distinct generations within the same organizations.
The leader explained that, in light of this context, local companies have invested in benefits, flexible schedules with hybrid models, and internal qualification initiatives, in addition to increasing efforts to attract both young apprentices and people over 60.
“Today, in addition to initiatives to offer benefits, a hybrid schedule, and internal qualification, we have noticed that companies are trying to attract more and more young apprentices and the 60+ audience. We are living in a unique moment where five generations are coexisting in the workplace,” he stated.
Labor Shortage Drives Changes
The deficit of qualified professionals is, according to entrepreneurs and entities in the sector, the main complaint of those who venture in Santa Catarina.
The difficulty in filling vacancies affects different segments of the state economy, particularly commerce, services, and industry.
Data from the Santa Catarina Association of Human Resources and specialized consulting firms indicate that the problem has intensified in recent years, driven by the aging of the economically active population, the increase in average schooling time, and changes in the professional interests of young people.
Immigration and Integration of Foreigners
In the Santa Catarina context, the arrival of immigrants has also contributed to easing the labor shortage.
Between 2018 and 2025, according to official data from the Government of the State of Santa Catarina, more than 27,000 Venezuelans have been integrated into the local labor market, particularly in operational and customer service roles.
The presence of this foreign contingent has become relevant in sectors facing high turnover and difficulty in filling vacancies, such as commerce and the food industry.
Valuing the Elderly and Older Apprentices
The appreciation of older workers is gaining space in this scenario.
At events such as the Santa Catarina Congress on People Management (CONCARH), held in July 2025 in the state capital, managers and specialists discussed alternatives to integrate elderly professionals, who have accumulated experience and wish to continue contributing to the market.
According to a survey by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), people over 60 represent about 13% of the population of Santa Catarina in 2025, a figure that is expected to grow in the next decade.
The investment in older apprentices, according to specialists, enhances generational diversity in companies and helps to mitigate the impact of the labor shortage.
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Young Apprentice Seeks Purpose in the Market
The profile of the young apprentice is also changing.
As Diego Martins explained, the new generations seek more than remuneration: they want experiences that provide personal development, purpose, and learning opportunities.
“Today’s youth want to work for a company that helps them build their dreams, not necessarily financial ones. They seek the realization of ideas and a sense of purpose,” Martins pointed out during the event.
Controversy Over the Causes of the Labor Shortage
The debate over the causes of the labor shortage has also gained national attention.
In June 2025, entrepreneur Ricardo Faria, founder of the multinational Global Eggs, told the press that the Bolsa Família program would be one of the factors for the reduction in the supply of workers in the country, claiming that “people are addicted to Bolsa Família.”
However, Diego Martins countered this view during the interview with radio CBN Floripa, highlighting that the contingent of people who stop working due to the federal program is small and that, in fact, the main barrier to filling available vacancies is related to the qualification of candidates.
“I believe it is a small portion. Overall, we have a small unemployed mass that does not fill these vacancies because they are not prepared for them,” he emphasized.
Inclusion and Training as Pathways
Additionally, human resources specialists emphasize that inclusion and training policies are essential to face the labor crisis in Brazil.
The encouragement of hiring older apprentices, for example, follows global trends of valuing experience and stimulating productive aging.
The inclusion of people over 60 in company workforces, combined with the renewal provided by young apprentices, fosters balance and knowledge exchange among generations, strengthening productivity and innovation in the corporate environment.
Florianópolis Commerce Bets on Diversity
In the central commerce of Florianópolis, entrepreneurs have also been alerted to the importance of adopting more inclusive and diverse practices in their selection processes, broadening opportunities for both young people and professionals from the elderly.
The expectation is that, with the adoption of these strategies, the labor market in Santa Catarina may mitigate the effects of the labor shortage and strengthen regional economic growth.
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