Despite the economic downturn and job cuts in large corporations, there are many industries that are looking for people. The employment agency lists more than 180 jobs that are so-called bottleneck occupations.
The substance of German companies is “okay,” said Steffen Kampeter in an interview with “Deutschlandfunk” recently. A courageous statement from the general manager of the employers’ association BDA in view of job cuts at various large companies and the ongoing economic downturn. But the situation on the domestic labor market certainly proves Kampeter right: the Federal Employment Agency (BA) is not expecting a significant increase in unemployment in the coming year either. What’s more: There are still “bottlenecks” in around 180 professional groups with high employment, i.e. there is a lot of demand from companies for employees, but far too few interested parties.
The much-cited shortage of skilled workers has become a brake on growth and is now affecting large parts of the German economy: whether chefs, professional drivers, tax specialists or management consultants – according to the BA, all are “bottleneck occupations”. Some industries are plagued by a shortage of workers. The best job opportunities for skilled workers, but also for courageous career changers and career changers.
“Bottleneck occupations”: construction, metal and electrical
The shortage in construction is blatant: the Federal Agency lists planners/supervisors, construction electricians, civil engineers and architects as shortage professions. Not only in companies, but also in public/state companies, in states and municipalities. Industry and trade, which is showing its proverbial “golden soil” in many sectors more than ever, are looking for electrical engineers and electronics engineers, mechanical and metal builders, operating engineers, technical service staff in maintenance and repairs as well as automotive specialists. Although probably not exactly in the Volkswagen Group at the moment.
Education and social services
Working with or for people remains in high demand. For example, if Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) were unemployed, he would most likely not stay there for long. According to the BA analysis, as a trained social worker he would have the best job opportunities. This generally applies to specialists in social work, not least in church and non-profit companies as well as in schools. Teachers are still being sought there. Federal state programs for lateral entry into general education and vocational schools are intended to help combat the shortage. Basic requirement: A university degree. A business economist whose position in a large corporation is eliminated now becomes a vocational school teacher for economics and mathematics without much fuss; and from a studied graphic designer to an art teacher. Pedagogical training included. Such pragmatic retraining does not work easily in jobs that involve raising children. And so the demand for trained educators is likely to remain high, a persistent shortage of jobs.
Health and IT
It is hardly surprising that there is still a rampant shortage of skilled workers across the entire health and care sector, despite improved pay: doctors, medical and dental assistants, nursing staff, pharmacists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists – all wanted. Employers’ hunger for IT specialists is by no means satisfied, from software development to application consulting.
With all these job opportunities, why aren’t there more placements? The BA explains it like this: Recently, unemployed people have very often not learned a bottleneck job. Of the specialists who were registered as unemployed, only around a quarter were looking for a job in “shortages”. The Federal Agency’s outlook is certainly encouraging: Although many companies retain their well-trained skilled workers, they will also be looking for new ones in the coming years as a result of demographic change.
Source: Stern
