Shortage of Skilled Workers on German Construction Sites Worsens
German construction sites face an ever-growing shortage of skilled workers, finds an ifo Institute study. In building construction, 33.5 percent of companies reported problems finding skilled workers in September. In civil engineering, a full 37.9 percent of companies complained about a lack of suitable applicants.
In the previous month, the proportion of companies with these problems had been 3.5 percentage points lower in building construction and 1.4 percentage points lower in civil engineering. “In addition to material shortages, the shortage of skilled workers is also increasingly becoming an issue for the construction industry. And this at a time when their order books are full,” says ifo researcher Felix Leiss. Companies are concerned about the age structure of their workforce and the low social standing of the skilled trades. “Despite the fact that the number of apprenticeships is on the rise again, the construction industry has serious worries about new recruits,” Leiss adds.
