Education Minister in the early stages
“Need English as an administrative language”
February 26, 2024, 12:03 p.m
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Politics and business are looking for solutions to the shortage of skilled workers. Federal Education Minister Stark-Watzinger sees this as one of the greatest threats to growth and prosperity.
Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger warns that Germany must become more digital and faster in the competition for foreign skilled workers: “We are in competition with other countries,” she said in the early start on ntv. The shortage of skilled workers affects large parts of Europe. Qualified specialists are not queuing up to come to Germany. “That’s why we have to show that we want immigration,” said the FDP politician. Processes such as issuing visas need to be accelerated, as does the recognition of foreign professional qualifications.
Stark-Watzinger also held the federal states accountable: You cannot expect top IT specialists to spend the night in front of the immigration authorities in order to get an appointment. The states would have to digitize their administrations and equip them with enough staff. “We need English as the administrative language,” demanded the Education Minister. Anyone who comes to Germany should of course learn German. “But not everyone can do it from the start.”
The Federal Minister of Education sees a need to catch up, especially when it comes to digitalization: “We have been traveling in sleeping cars here for far too long.” Now everyone is required – federal, state and local authorities. “And here we have to agree on uniform standards so that digitalization is faster and, above all, we don’t have an isolated solution,” said Stark-Watzinger.
At the same time, the domestic skilled workforce potential must be better utilized. Stark-Watzinger points to the 1.7 million job vacancies, which are matched by 50,000 young people who leave school without a qualification every year. “This is a missed opportunity for everyone, but of course also a big problem for our growth,” said the Federal Education Minister.
That’s why the so-called starting opportunities program is starting this year. It is aimed at the children who have the least support from home. 20 billion euros are earmarked for this over ten years. “All the great minds and hard-working hands in our country should have the chance to graduate from school and then start their careers,” said Stark-Watzinger. To achieve this, the basic skills of arithmetic, reading and writing should be strengthened.