In 2023, the Federal Agency for Civic Education reported 13.2 million people seeking employment, while 760,608 positions remain unfilled in Germany. The shortage of workers is no longer just a skilled labor issue, and the solution is right in front of us: a European-wide job market full of job seekers! Why should companies fish only in the small German pond when there’s a vast sea of EU workers available?
The growing shortage of skilled and general labor has complex causes, including:
Completing a vocational training or university degree leads to specialized skills and qualifies individuals as skilled workers by definition. Workers are available regardless of their level of education, including those without formal qualifications.
Projections show that the skilled labor shortage will worsen due to demographic changes. Statistics also indicate that there are relatively few qualified unemployed people available in shortage occupations. This opens up new opportunities to utilize the European labor market: where there is a shortage of workers in Germany, there is an abundance in our neighboring countries. This way, EU countries can mutually benefit from each other and balance out understaffed industries.
Due to demographic trends in Germany, the number of people of working age will decrease in the coming years. Signs of this were already visible in 2023: the number of German citizens in regular employment fell by almost 80,000 compared to the previous year. The increase in employment was solely due to people of foreign nationality.
Social security contributions employment, June each year, change from previous year (in 1,000)
DE-EN translation: “Übrige Drittstaaten” – third states; “Asyl” – asylum seekers; “EWR und Schweiz” – EEA and Switzerland.
Hiring foreign personnel often fails due to prejudices and misunderstandings. Many companies fear that employing staff from EU countries is complicated. However, the EU facilitates cooperation between workers and companies through freedom of movement for workers. It makes the recognition of qualifications easier and reduces the effort for companies to hire people from other EU countries. So, we don’t face barriers; we have bridges.
In many companies, up to 70% of unfilled roles could be handled by untrained personnel. Simple and repetitive tasks often consume a lot of time and effort, even though they could be performed by semi-skilled or unskilled workers. If additional training is needed, a large pool of job seekers can be properly trained through vocational training, retraining, partial qualifications, and the recognition of foreign qualifications. An adaptation qualification helps align foreign professional qualifications with German standards, ensuring full recognition of these skills.
Companies should plan their workforce strategically and tap into the potential of the EU-wide market. It is also beneficial to acknowledge the previous work experiences of employees. By employing EU workers, promoting vocational training and further education, and using adaptation qualifications, any company can strategically and effectively address the skilled labor shortage. How and where can you find suitable candidates? Use the JOBSMART recruitment platform to find your future employees quickly, easily, and efficiently.
