Companies are desperately seeking skilled workers and personnel. What does the labour market look like in an international metropolis like Düsseldorf? And what ideas and solutions are there?

According to a study by the German Institute for Economic Research, there will be a shortage of around 5 million skilled workers in Germany by 2030. Even on a smaller scale, in the economically strong city of Düsseldorf, the changes brought about by the demographic shift are clearly in evidence: "In the last ten years, 17,000 people have retired in our city. In the next ten years it will be almost 95,000. This shows why we need so many levers to exploit all the potential we have," says Birgitta Kubsch-von Harten, chairwoman of the Düsseldorf Employment Agency. "One important lever is education. A second lever is the qualification of those who have not yet been trained and the further training of employees in order to remain at the cutting edge of technology. And a third lever is international recruitment of skilled workers from abroad.

The major changes in the labour market are also affecting the business of two major players in Düsseldorf - the job portals Stepstone and Indeed, both of which are on a growth trajectory. "According to one of our recent studies, 8 out of 10 companies are currently taking longer to fill a vacancy than in previous years. This is huge and, of course, good news for candidates. As a result, almost two-thirds of employees can currently imagine changing jobs. Since 2020, more and more people have been applying through our platform and there is no end in sight," says Mario Kühlkamp, Managing Director of The Stepstone Group EMEA. At competitor Indeed, Frank Hensgens, Managing Director DACH, said: "Germany recently experienced a job boom as a result of the pandemic, which has leveled off somewhat recently due to economic developments. However, the number of job advertisements is still very high by historical standards - and demand will remain very high in the coming years due to demographic change".

TIPS

"In Germany, we are far too formal and stick to streamlined CVs. Companies need to be more flexible. They should show what they have to offer as an employer, such as working from home and flexible working hours. There are also many workers in the country who do not speak German. That's why we advise employers to publish their vacancies in English as well," says Frank Hensgens.

"In recent years, the inclusion of salary ranges in job advertisements has gained momentum. This information is expected by more and more candidates and, in turn, ensures better applications - because both sides know where they stand from the outset," says Mario Kühlkamp.

Key municipal actors such as the Employment Agency, the Office of Economic Development, and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce are working hand in hand to strengthen the training market. Compared with many municipalities where there are more applicants than training places, Düsseldorf is still in a good position: according to the Employment Agency, there are currently 120 training places available for every 100 applicants across all sectors. "Compared to last year, more training places have been registered. The interest of companies in training is growing, because for many it is an important step in securing a skilled workforce," says Birgitta Kubsch-von Harten. The skilled trades, in particular, offer young people, for whom sustainability and digitalisation play a particularly important role, exciting and future-oriented job profiles - just think of the fields of energy technology, smart homes or robotics in the medical sector.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

The University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf supports students in their individual studies with various free advisory services. Dr Katrin Ullmann from the Central Student Advisory Service (ZSB) offers neutral, confidential and solution- oriented advice and coaching to students from all faculties who have doubts about their studies (for various reasons). More information at "Doubts about your studies?” (hs-duesseldorf.de). The Faculty of Business and Economics even supports its students with its own mentoring/coaching programme: students can talk to Laura Lammertz about their wishes, needs and challenges during their studies and work out solutions together. More information at wiwi.hs-duesseldorf.de/studium/beratung/mentoring

The shortage of skilled workers is also increasingly felt at universities: "Our job boards are overflowing with really very attractive company offers - all kinds of internships, direct entry opportunities and trainee programmes. It is already the case that many needs cannot be met and our students are spoilt for choice," says Prof. Dr. Astrid Lachmann, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. At the university, tomorrow's specialists can also take advantage of a range of counselling services to support them in their individual studies. In some cases, this advice may lead to the conclusion that an apprenticeship would be a better option. "At a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to fill training places with school leavers, university drop-outs represent an interesting potential. They are more mature, more reflective and may be particularly motivated if a second door is opened to them. Some companies have already recognised this potential and have expressed their interest to us. Others are likely to follow in the future. We are also happy to network companies and students in this constellation," says Lachmann. Another lever is regular further training in the companies - this is an important decision criterion when choosing a job, especially for the next generation. But there are many other areas in which companies can unlock potential. For example, by creating conditions that enable women in particular to return to work as easily as possible after a career break to have children. Or by employing more severely disabled people. "Sometimes we would like companies to be more open. We can offer a lot of support, for example in financing office equipment for people with disabilities," says Kubsch-von Harten.
There is also a lot of help available in Düsseldorf for Lever 3, the recruitment of foreign skilled workers. The new Immigration of Skilled Workers Act, which recently came into force, now offers better conditions for this (see interview on p. 11). For example, the Federal Employment Agency and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce are involved in the pilot project "Hand in Hand for International Talents" (being carried out at 5 locations in Germany). Together with local cooperation partners, qualified specialists from outside the EU in the fields of IT, electrical engineering and the hotel and catering industry are recruited and put in contact with interested companies. The Expat Service Desk, a contact point for business development, has also become a nationwide model.
The challenges for companies are certainly big, but there are levers and adjusting screws. Especially in Düsseldorf, with its very strong labour market, many cooperation and networking opportunities are available to help companies find their way in the war for talent.•

EXPAT SERVICE DESK

The Expat Service Desk ME&DUS is an information and advice centre run by the Düsseldorf and Mettmann Offices of Economic Development and the Düsseldorf Chamber of Industry and Commerce. It bundles all relevant information and services for expats in Düsseldorf and Mettmann, provides multilingual and networked advice - and thus makes an important contribution to the welcoming culture and attractiveness of the location. It was the first advice centre of its kind in Germany in 2017, has won several awards and serves as a model for other cities.

EXCITING RESEARCH FINDINGS

Professor Stefan Süß, Chair of Work, Human Resources and Organisation at Heinrich Heine University, researches topics such as personnel management, flexible working and employer attractiveness.

To this end, he analyses the attitudes and opinions of (potential) graduates. "On the one hand, we found that flexible working is particularly attractive when the combination of working hours and location is taken into account. In terms of work content, issues such as meaningfulness and self-fulfilment are extremely important, as is participation in decision-making - hierarchical management structures have a hard time with this". The possibility of career breaks such as sabbaticals and an active social media presence on the part of companies also increase their attractiveness. "However, employers would do well not to exaggerate on social media and to present themselves realistically. Because if expectations are not met in reality, young professionals will not hesitate to leave," says Süß. •

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NEW LAW FACILITATES IMMIGRATION

The new Skilled Labour Immigration Act has been gradually coming into force since November 2023. Jeannette Michaelle Nintcheu, Immigration Researcher at the German Economic Institute in Cologne, explains what this means.

Why was it necessary to amend the Skilled Labour Immigration Act?

In my view, the previous administrative hurdles were simply too high for many potential skilled workers. For example, the recognition procedure had to be completed before a skilled worker from a third country could come to Germany. This took a lot of time and was not attractive. There are now a number of innovations that are gradually coming into force and can simplify the processes for both skilled workers and companies.

One new aspect, for example, is that professional experience, without prior recognition, is also an important factor.

Exactly. The new regulations allow employers to hire people based on their professional experience. Before the amendment, this was only possible for IT specialists. This regulation has been extended to all non-regulated professions, i.e. professions that do not require a specific licence such as a licence to practise or a master craftsman title. Prerequisites include a vocational or university degree that is recognised by the state in the country of employment and at least two years' experience in the desired profession.

How does the new so-called opportunity card, which will apply from June 2024, work?

The opportunity card (Chancenkarte) mainly works according to a points system. If people from third countries have achieved at least 6 points in the catalogue of criteria, they can enter Germany with a one-year visa and look for a qualified job. For example, if you are under 35 years old, you already receive two points. Or if you can speak German at level B1, you get two points. And two years of work experience in the last five years can also be redeemed for two points. •

More information at The new Skilled Labour Immigration Act (bit.ly/make-it-in-germany).

Words: Tom Corrinth
Pictures: PR, Agentur für Arbeit Düsseldorf, simonthon, The Stepstone Group / Oliver Bellendir, Andreas Anhalt, HSD, Simonthon, IW Köln

Work in Progress