How one German mayor is tackling a skilled worker shortage? | DW Documentary

In Mittweida, practically half of the stores remain empty. Daycare facilities fight to have enough kids registered. Companies struggle with a lack of trained employees. This modest Saxon town has seen a drop of more than 5,000 people since Germany was reunited. Most of the drop consists of young, highly educated people. This demographic change has clear consequences seen all around the city. Material shortages force construction projects to be stopped. Machinery is being disassembled and moved to places with a better workforce availability.

Ralf Schreiber, the Mittweida Mayor, is determined in tackling the town’s skilled labor deficit. He set up a “Mayor’s Breakfast” pro-actively. Businesses in need of qualified people from several backgrounds were welcomed. They spoke with 180 job applicants supplied by the Federal Employment Agency. The regimented “speed date” system let for quick meetings that can result in long-term job ties. From truck drivers to accountants and controllers, the need for qualified professionals is pervasive.

Problems still exist even with the deliberate attempts to close the distance between companies and job seekers. Many candidates lack official training, therefore compromising their chances in the employment market. Foreign applicants also have a major obstacle from the bureaucratic process of acknowledging credentials gained overseas. Finding appropriate people is getting more difficult. Job requirements and the competencies of the current workforce are not in line.

In Mittweida, the lack of trained workers affects sectors other than the private one. It influences public institutions including the municipal government. Engineers and tradespeople are thus somewhat rare. Mayor Schreiber stresses the need of appreciating all kinds of employment. This covers not only highly specialized vocations. Local output must be maintained. We have to solve the current workforce problems.

Mittweida’s tourism sector deals with comparable staffing conundrums. This is best shown by the lack of suitable skippers for excursion boats running in the lovely surrounding countryside. The seasonal aspect of the employment discourages possible candidates. They also detest the lack of chances for professional development. This aggravates the recruitment problems in the sector. There are initiatives under progress to draw people looking for career changes. The goal is to vary the pool of talent. It also aims to help to alleviate the labour shortage.

In fields like healthcare, there is especially a need for qualified personnel. This is seen by Mittweida’s registered nurse demand. Aware of the dearth of local talent, companies such as Pflegeservice Wirtz are resorting to foreign hiring to cover key positions. Still, political attitudes drive a reluctance toward immigration that makes it difficult to get qualified labor from outside. The argument about labor shortages and migration emphasizes the need of a fresh strategy. We have to reconsider how we handle workforce needs and demographic shifts.