Germany is currently lacking employees in 19 employment sectors, according to a bi-annual study of skilled worker shortages released by Germany’s Federal Employment Agency (BA), reports thelocal.de. These include jobs requiring university degrees and those that do not need an academic qualification.  

The report focused on two fields currently lacking skilled workers: technical occupations, which include positions for software developers and mechanical engineers; and the healthcare sector, which is experiencing a need for geriatric care specialists, doctors and therapists.

Frank-Jürgen Weise, Chairman of the BA, commented: "Employers have a very difficult time finding suitable employees in these professions.”

Statistics cite a shortage of workers in technical sectors, ranging from employees at the expert level to non-academically trained tradesmen. The BA's June report of top job vacancies by industry highlighted a strong need for workers in metal construction, which had the second highest number of available positions, falling just behind the retail industry.

Approximately 32,400 job vacancies in metal processing and construction were reported to the BA, a +15.1% increase compared with last year.

Germany is also in need of workers in mechanical, energy, and electronics occupations. There were 30,600 positions were reported in June, up just under +1% from last year.

Experts in mechatronics, automation, and electrical engineering are in particular demand in the regions of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Bremen, and Lower Saxony where, according to the report: "Vacancy time in these positions is considerably higher than the national average.”

The need for specialists and non-academically trained workers in these fields remains high in the West of the country.

The study also found a need for professionals in healthcare and reported the highest number of vacancies (28,800) for those in the field of medical health. The category includes doctors, nurses, and therapists who now have +6.1% more jobs available to them than last year.

Non-medical health professionals, including dental technicians, and specialist orthopaedic and rehabilitation equipment technologists are also in demand, with 24,600 jobs currently available.

New to the growing list of professions in demand are geriatric healthcare specialists, of which there is a shortage in all German states. The situation has changed very little over the past year.