Despite the economic downturn
Companies are desperately looking for qualified workers
08/16/2023 11:47 am
Germany is not getting the skills shortage under control. According to the latest IFO economic survey, the record value from last year will be undershot. Nevertheless, sectors are recording a new high in the lack of engineers.
According to the IFO Institute, more and more German companies are lacking skilled workers. Accordingly, 43.1 percent of companies suffered from shortages of qualified workers in July, after 42.2 percent in April, according to the latest economic survey by the Munich Institute of around 9,000 companies nationwide. “Despite the weakening economy, many companies are still desperately looking for suitable employees,” said IFO expert Stefan Sauer.
In July 2022, the record value was 49.7 percent. According to the survey, the service sector is particularly badly affected. 75.3 percent cannot find the right applicants in legal and tax advice or auditing. About two thirds of the companies in the transport sector as well as architecture and engineering offices report a shortage of skilled workers – a new high for these sectors.
Among the IT device manufacturers, 43.1 percent of the companies surveyed are affected. In mechanical engineering, the share is currently 40.9 percent, as the IFO explained. Overall, the share in manufacturing fell slightly to 34.6 percent. In trade and construction, slightly less than a third of the companies complain about a shortage of qualified workers. The economy relies primarily on increased immigration of workers. This should help solve the demographic problem.