How to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the skilled crafts sector

Questions and answers about the shortage of skilled workers in the skilled crafts sector

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What does a shortage of skilled workers mean?

If, over a longer period of time, there is more demand for qualified employees than there are skilled workers, this is referred to as a shortage of skilled workers. It usually occurs in certain regions and affects only specific occupational ^groups1.

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Why is there a shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades?

There are various causes for the current shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades. These include:

• Shrinking workforce due to retirement of the baby boomer generation
• Low birth rate, so fewer young workers entering the labor market
• Young people are more likely to choose a course of study than an apprenticeship

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How can Tradesmen and women attract new skilled workers?

trade businesses that want to attract skilled workers and retain employees over the long term can become an even more attractive employer by:

• Enable education and training
• Create career development opportunities
• Offer flexible work hours

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Where is there a shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades?

According to the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), there is currently a particularly high shortage of skilled workers in these ^trades2:

• Installation and heating construction
• Refrigeration plant engineering
• Roller shutter and sun protection technology
• Electrical engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Optometry
• Hearing acoustics
• Metal construction
• Machining Technology
• Plastics processing
• Pipeline construction
• Welding technology
• Mechanical Engineering

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In which regions of Germany is the shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades most pronounced?

There is a shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades everywhere, but it is most pronounced in southern and eastern Germany.

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According to the Federal Employment Agency, Germany has a shortage of 1.2 million ^workers3. Two thirds of these are skilled workers. Since 2015, there have been more unfilled positions in the skilled trades than unemployed skilled ^{tradespeople4}. In 2021, there were around 200,000, according to the Competence Center for Skilled Workforce Assurance (KOFA⁾⁵. A new peak - with no trend reversal in sight. The reasons for this vary: Many employees of the baby boomer generation are retiring and the low birth rate means that fewer people are available to the labor market. The fact that more and more young people are choosing to study rather than train is exacerbating the shortage of skilled workers.

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In the end, just under 90,000 positions will remain unfilled in 2021. But with which qualifications would applicants have had the best chances?

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Journeyman's or master craftsman's certificate: These qualifications are in demand

The fact is that there is a shortage of both journeymen and master Tradesmen. At first glance, however, the shortage of skilled workers is more critical among those with a journeyman's certificate: according to current estimates, there is a shortage of 75,000. In contrast, the 7,200 vacancies for master Tradesmen seem almost insignificant. However, appearances are deceptive, as there are many more qualified journeymen and women and master Tradesmen are therefore much more difficult to ^find6. This applies to all skilled trades!

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The shortage of skilled workers is particularly pronounced in these skilled trades

It is not only in terms of qualifications that the shortage of skilled workers differs. There are also differences in the intensity of the need with regard to the skilled trades. Currently, there are hand-wringing searches:

• Plumbers and installers
• Heating engineers
• Refrigeration system installers
• Roller shutter and sun protection technicians
• Electrical engineers
• Electric machine builders
• Metal workers
• Machinists and metal cutting technicians
• Plastics processors
• Pipe installers
• Welding technicians
• Mechanical engineers

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Even if the outlook is not good, there is reason for hope: You can take targeted measures to ensure that skilled workers choose your company and that valuable employees do not even entertain the idea of changing employers.

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Note: Regardless of the shortage of skilled workers, workforce Dispatchings must always be perfectly planned. With the Meisterwerk app, this is quick and easy! 

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Qualified Tradesmen and women can currently choose where they work - and under what conditions! For you, this means: To be perceived as an attractive employer, more than "just" a good salary counts! 

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You can turn these screws to ensure that skilled workers apply to work for you:

• Offer education and training
• Open up career opportunities
• Offer flexible working time models

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Education and training

Is the apprenticeship over when you receive your journeyman's certificate? That may have been the case in the past. Today, skilled workers want to continuously educate themselves to stay up to date and/or refine their skills. This benefits not only your employees, but the entire business, as you can offer your customers even better quality, new methods or products. Win-win!

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Development opportunities

Closely linked to the training offered is another wish of many Tradesmen and women: they do not want to hold the same position in the company forever, but rather take on responsibility and make a career for themselves. So show your employees prospects in this respect and enable them to gain management experience, for example. Your bonus: Competent employees can relieve you of a lot of work in the company in this way and reduce your workload.

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Working time models

Since the pandemic, flexible working time models have been in demand as never before. Of course, conditions in the skilled trades are different from those in office jobs, which can often be performed from almost anywhere in the world at any time. Nevertheless, skilled trades jobs also often offer more leeway than you might think! Part-time arrangements are particularly attractive for fathers and mothers with families, as is the option of a 4-day week. Other options include:

• Annual or lifetime working time accounts
• Block working time
• Shift work
• Confidential working time
• Flexitime 

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In addition to these three aspects, there are of course many other measures you can take to attract skilled workers to your craft business. One of them, which is particularly appealing to young people, is the use of digital tools such as the Meisterwerk app for recording work hours.

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Filling out timesheets is a thing of the past! The Meisterwerk app is an efficient way to record work hours. Employees can easily record their hours digitally. Payroll accounting is also pleased, because the stored data can be output as an Excel file with one click. If you, as the plant manager, wish, the recording of work hours can also be carried out on an Job-related basis. This gives you the opportunity, for example, to charge your customers for additional hours. 

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