In a development that shocked absolutely no one outside the comment section, hundreds of people in Crete demonstrated a radical idea last Saturday: they want to work.
This unexpected revelation occurred during the Tourism Career Day organised by kariera.gr in Heraklion, held at the very respectable Galaxy Hotel Iraklio. The event wrapped up on January 31 with a record turnout, leaving one unavoidable conclusion: when jobs are presented clearly and face-to-face, people stop being “lazy” and start being… present.
A total of 430 candidates showed up — young graduates, seasoned professionals, and everyone in between — calmly dismantling the popular myth that Crete has “no workforce,” “no interest,” or “no motivation.”
More than 20 tourism companies participated, and over the course of the day, 4,400 one-on-one interviews were conducted. That is not a typo. That is what happens when you put employers and candidates in the same room and remove the usual layers of online silence, unanswered emails, and seasonal confusion.
Workshops, Branding, and the Fine Art of Complaints
Beyond interviews, participants attended workshops on topics that the tourism industry claims to value but rarely trains in properly: complaint handling, employer branding, and — in a perfectly Cretan touch — long-drink preparation.
Because nothing says “hospitality career” like learning how to handle an angry guest and a cocktail shaker in the same afternoon.
Still, the workshops offered something more useful than motivational slogans: practical advice, delivered to people who actually plan to use it.
According to Christos Kouroukles, Head of Sales HORECA at kariera.gr, the event exceeded expectations once again, confirming its role as a stable reference point for the tourism job market — a place where dialogue replaces guesswork and “we cannot find staff” briefly pauses for self-reflection.
Meanwhile, the event’s Platinum Sponsor, One&Only Kéa Island, expressed enthusiasm at seeing so many motivated professionals in one place. Its General Manager, Jerome Colson, spoke about the “bright future” of tourism and the next generation of industry leaders — a future that, judging by attendance, has already arrived and is waiting politely in line.
The Lesson Employers Don’t Want to Admit
What this Career Day demonstrated — again — is something inconvenient:
People are not unwilling to work, but are unwilling to chase invisible jobs. They are tired of seasonal chaos, vague promises, and last-minute panic.
Give them structure, timing, and actual employers who show up and respond, and they respond without needing hashtags or lectures. Just a room, a desk, and someone on the other side who is ready to talk seriously.
And Yet, the Surprise Continues
In a few months, we will hear the familiar refrains:
“There is a labour shortage.”
“Nobody wants to work.”
“Young people are not interested.”
And somewhere in Heraklion, 430 people will remember that Saturday and disagree.
Because sometimes, the problem is not the workforce but the industry’s habit of acting surprised when people finally get the chance to show up.
