The shortage of skilled workers is not the only major problem for many companies in Germany: 49 percent of companies in industry and trade were unable to fill all of their open apprenticeship positions last year, according to the results of a survey published by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) at the beginning of August.
More than a third of the companies with difficulties in filling positions said they had not received a single application. That equates to 30,000 training companies. The industrial sector, the hospitality industry, retail, the transport sector and the construction industry are particularly affected, explained the deputy general manager of the DIHK, Achim Dercks. Small companies are struggling the most with the situation, said Dercks.
Just one of several reasons: lack of school-based career guidance
In addition to demographic change, there are many reasons for the lack of trainees: According to the DIHK, young people lack, among other things, “efficient and targeted career guidance”. Schools must allow sufficient time for this. Finance and the so-called MINT subjects (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology) should play a greater role in lessons, according to the DIHK.
A lack of “solid basic education” is often a problem, as the latest results of the PISA studies show. “Our education system needs to improve in this area,” said Dercks. “Out of necessity, companies are increasingly taking matters into their own hands and supporting young people who are having difficulties getting started in a variety of ways.” This ranges from tutoring in German and mathematics to social education services and coaching programs to improve self-management and motivation.
Still important: trial days and internships
As the survey shows, more than half of the companies in Germany now use social media marketing to reach young people. However, these channels cannot replace personal contact: over 70 percent of companies recruit new trainees through trial days or internships. The company’s own website therefore continues to play a particularly important role.
More and more companies are also hiring people from abroad or trying to recruit them for training. In 2019, the proportion of these companies was 41 percent, and in 2023 it will be 48 percent. Trainees from abroad are in demand, especially in the catering and transport and logistics sectors, explained Dercks.
“However, there are still hurdles when it comes to hiring foreign trainees. This mainly concerns the language.” 81 percent of companies see insufficient German language skills as the biggest challenge. Complicated bureaucratic processes in visa and residence procedures also make hiring difficult for 43 percent of training companies.
Better support for trainees needed
The German Trade Union Confederation said it agreed with regard to career guidance in schools: it is currently not helping too many young people sufficiently. Career guidance must be firmly anchored in the curriculum at all school levels and expanded, demanded DGB Federal Youth Secretary Kristof Becker.
“But employers also have a responsibility. They need to rethink their barriers to entry.” Many training places are not filled because there were allegedly no suitable applications. At the same time, far too few companies are making use of the training support provided by the employment agencies. In many places, the quality and remuneration of training are also not right.
The Left group in the Bundestag sees it the same way: “Too many people are poorly looked after during their training, poorly paid or not paid at all and have no reliable prospects,” explained the Left’s education spokeswoman, Nicole Gohlke.
The DIHK training survey is based on information from more than 13,000 companies in the Chambers of Industry and Commerce.
sts (AFP)/io
