Among the most affected sectors are health care, social services, teaching and education, as well as construction, architecture, surveying and construction technology
The shortage of skilled workers in Germany has reached record levels in 2022, DPA reported, quoted by standartnews.com.
According to the Center for Skilled Workers (Kofa) of the German Economic Institute (IW), last year more than 630,000 vacancies for skilled workers could not be filled because there were no unemployed persons with the appropriate qualifications nationwide .
This is the largest shortfall in the supply of skilled labor since the start of the observation period in 2010.
Among the sectors most affected are health care, social services, teaching and education, as well as construction, architecture, surveying and construction technology, where six out of ten vacancies remain unfilled.
There was also a greater than average shortage of skilled workers in the natural sciences, geography and information technology sectors.
The study states that the shortage of skilled workers in commercial services, trade, sales, hospitality and tourism has almost tripled in the past year, with three out of every ten vacancies remaining unfilled last year.
The increase here is due to a catch-up effect after the downturn caused by the pandemic.
In general, the higher the skill level required for a job or field, the more difficult it is to fill those positions. Employers note a shortage of graduates in the fields of information technology, electrical engineering, construction planning and supervision, with nine out of ten job vacancies lacking suitably qualified unemployed people, the survey said.
The lack of suitable skilled workers has long affected the labor market and it is widely recognized that immigration is needed to address the shortage.
In March approx 45.6 million people were employed in Germany, which is more than ever before. Despite the economic downturn, inflation and political uncertainty, employers in industry, commerce and the service sector have attracted skilled workers.
“We need immigration of both labor and skilled workers,” said the head of the Employment Agency, Andrea Nales, noting that otherwise vacancies would remain unfilled.
