New technology is not causing mass job cuts, but employers are asking more of their staff, deputy labour and social policy minister Danail Rusev said at the opening of the sixth Tech Career Days by JobTiger 2026 in Sofia.
Rusev cited a National Statistical Institute survey, done for the ministry, that covered 2,500 employers across Bulgaria. For every company that scrapped a job, 14 changed the job instead. Half of Bulgarian firms have already brought in new digital technology, and most of them plan to add artificial intelligence.
"It seems technology is taking fewer jobs than we fear," Rusev said.
He said machines take over routine tasks, while people are expected to analyse, check and judge. This is clearest in accounting and administration, where automation increasingly does the routine work. The survey shows that firms with more technology need more people with cognitive skills: analytical thinking, solving complex problems, learning and communication, Rusev said.
When a person works with artificial intelligence, the responsibility for decisions stays with that person, the deputy minister said. In his view, nobody is merely an object of today's technological change.
Rusev addressed young people, companies and state institutions. He called on young people to learn to manage machines, but not to give up questions, doubt and their own free judgment. He urged employers to keep hiring and training young and entry-level staff. He paid special attention to mentors, who he said are not easy to find on the labour market. He asked the government and the administration to know and listen to the needs and worries of young people and employers.
Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva, deputy executive director of the Employment Agency, said finding a first job in tech is a challenge today. She highlighted the "Youth Employment +" programme, which the agency runs. The programme covers all sectors of the economy and helps young people start their first job right after finishing higher education. Employers get part of the pay costs covered when they hire young staff.
Goranova-Dimcheva urged guests at the event to learn about the agency's services, which include many free digital skills courses for both unemployed and employed people.
The career day, organised by the HR company and career site JobTiger, takes place at the Marinela hotel in Sofia and focuses on the tech industry. It is meant for students and people at the start of their careers, as well as experienced specialists who are considering their next career step or want to understand how the tech market is developing.
Ines Vodjanovic, director for the Central and Eastern Europe region at the Austrian Business Agency, the general sponsor of this year's event, said she hoped companies and talent would find each other.
JobTiger plans a second job fair in Gabrovo on 15 October, at the Technical University of Gabrovo.