Brazil’s shortage of qualified labor is little more than a supply-demand imbalance. With the Brazilian economy firing on all cylinders — and in the context of a legacy of dramatic government underinvestment in education — firms operating across a number of industries and sectors are demanding more skilled workers than the labor market currently offers, leading to unmet hiring quotas, increased pressure on existing employees and slower firm growth. The shortage is especially pronounced for firms in need of technicians and engineers. Given their demand for large numbers of these specialist employees, the oil and gas, real estate and aerospace industries have been hit particularly hard by the shortfall.