Higher defense spending
Expert sees permanent upturn in the armaments industry
In the past often frowned upon, today clearly in trend: a job at a armaments company has gained measurably popularity. Why a labor market expert sees the industry in the long term.
The labor market researcher Enzo Weber expects a long -lasting upswing from the German armaments industry. The upward trend in the industry will be sustainable and foreseeable for many years, the expert from the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB) in Nuremberg told the German Press Agency.
Due to the exception in the debt brake for defense spending, the financing options are ensured, said the IAB research area manager for forecasts and overall economic analyzes. According to a study with the participation of the IAB, up to 200,000 jobs could arise if Germany increased its defense spending from 2 to 3 percent of gross domestic product.
State should create competition and innovation with funds
“Now it depends on whether only money is being spent or an industrial renewal succeeds,” said Weber, referring to the federal financing options. The state must also create competition and innovation with the funds and toast a trend reversal in industry.
In contrast to the rest of the industry in Germany, Weber has seen the armaments industry on an upswing with significantly increasing employment figures for around two years. The number of job advertisements also increases, while it is significantly declining in the rest of the industry.
Significantly more applicants for armaments companies
At the Rheinmetall armaments group, for example, the number of applicants has increased continuously in recent years, as a speaker announced on request. There were still around 59,000 applications from Germany in 2021, in 2024 there were already 175,000. In the first half of this year alone, 120,000 applications from Germany were received.
The manufacturer of tanks and anti -aircraft systems has therefore hired around 500 employees since the beginning of the year. Most new positions were created with almost 2,000 in the production-related area and in the IT sector. We are currently looking for employees in the areas of product development and production such as engineers or mechatronics engineers.
Changed perception of the defense industry
The Augsburg armaments supplier Renk also wants to further increase the number of its employees in the next few years. Since they had significantly increased the efficiency of the production, not as many employees were required as in 2023, a spokesman said.
The mixed group Diehl also records increasing number of applicants for its armaments division. In the past few years, several hundred people have been stopped in the Defense Group division, a spokeswoman said that there were more than 1,000 in 2024. The settings should continue on this size, the trend will last in 2026.
According to the image change in the armaments industry, the company assumes the information in applicants and in large parts of the company. Among other things, Diehl produces the Iris-T air defense system, which is also used in Ukraine.
Stumbling automotive and supplier industry offers potential
Labor market expert Weber sees potential for the armaments industry, for example, by the employees of the stumbling automotive and supplier industry. Their specialists are attractive for armaments companies. “Through advice, mediation and targeted qualifications, you can succeed in gaining a foothold in a new industry.”
However, the armaments industry is too small to stop the downward trend of industry in Germany. Around 17,000 people in Germany are currently employed in the armaments industry in the narrower sense. “This means companies that produce weapons and ammunition or combat vehicles and not pure suppliers, for example for tires or companies that, for example, produce communication systems that can be used civil and military.”
dpa
Source: Stern
