Abstract
Lately, considerable foreign and Bulgarian investments have been attracted to the country’s quarrying industry. A number of companies are already applying the world’s best practices for exploration, extraction and processing of underground resources. There are also good practices which could and should be implemented and refined to achieve the sustainable development of the extractive industry. Currently, the Bulgarian mining enterprises are operating successfully and profitably. More than 300 companies and organizations in the field of exploration, extraction and processing of underground resources and related activities and services are operating in the industry. The development of the business organizations is largely determined by the available production resources, their quality and the efficiency of their usage. One of the main resources which differs significantly from the rest is the human resource. It possesses a certain level of qualification and professional development, crucial for the productivity and prosperity. The purpose of this article is to study and analyze the educational and vocational qualification profile of the human resources employed in the quarrying industry of Bulgaria, revealing the actual possibilities for their optimal use and development for achieving higher productivity and competitiveness.