The number of jobs created by the Brazilian industrial sector increased significantly in the first nine months of 2024, with emphasis on the hiring of young people. 
According to data from the General Register of Employed and Unemployed Persons (Caged), the industry created 405,493 new jobs from January to September, a jump of 75.5% compared to the 230,943 registered in the same period in 2023.
In September alone, industrial jobs had a balance of 59,827 vacancies — an increase of 40% compared to September 2023 and 16% compared to August.
Of the total vacancies opened in the month, 93% came from the manufacturing industry (55,860), mainly from the food sector (22,488), rubber and plastic material (3,578), and motor vehicles (3,389).
For the second consecutive month, the Northeast was the region in which the industry hired the most, with a share of 42.4% of the vacancies created in September (25,417). Next come Southeast (37.8%), South (9.9%), North (5.3%), and Central-West (4.2%).
According to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, federal government programs have contributed to the increase in hiring. The ministry cites the Mover program, aimed at the automotive sector, Accelerated Depreciation, which promotes the modernization of the industrial park in 23 sectors, the resumption of the Special Regime for the Chemical Industry (Reiq) and the Brazil Semiconductors Program.
“As a result, the productive sector has already announced investment plans reaching R$1.6 trillion for the coming years, R$1.06 trillion from the construction industry, R$130 billion from the automotive sector, R$120 billion from food, R$105 billion of paper and cellulose, R$100 billion of semiconductors and electronics; R$100 billion from the steel industry and R$39.5 billion from the health industrial complex”, highlighted the ministry.
Young people
Of the total 405,493 new jobs created in the first nine months of 2024, 57.4% of vacancies were filled by young people aged 18 and 24. Among the new hires is Caio Cabral, 18 years old, who got his first job with a formal contract in June, at the company APS Soluções, in the south of São Paulo.
Caio is in his final year of high school, but he has already graduated in electrical engineering for two years. “It was easy to find the job, I wasn’t looking for work. I received an invitation from the company for an opportunity in my area”, he says.
Caio’s role in the company is as a laboratory technician assistant. According to him, the job has lived up to his expectations. “My salary is within what I expected and the company is relatively close to mine, I have a commute of about 40 minutes”.
The new work has also contributed to Caio’s training. “I have the opportunity to learn every day and this is being very good for me and my career. The laboratory structure is great and the professionals have a lot of experience and help me.”
Marli Matias Lima, 20 years old, didn’t have the same ease as Caio in finding a job. Since finishing high school, in December 2022, he was looking for a job, which he only found in September last year, at Volkswagen, in São Bernardo do Campo (SP).
“It was difficult to get the position because there were a lot of people going through the selection process. In fact, the process opened in April 2023 and I was only called in the second call, in September”, he states.
Today, Marli is a bodywork preparer at the automaker and is studying systems analysis and development. “The salary is within my expectations because it allows me to cover my expenses. The factory is not close to home, but we have a chartered bus, which takes 40 minutes to make the journey.”
