Germany risks falling short of the workers it needs to carry out its energy transition, with labour market researchers warning that tens of thousands of additional skilled employees will be required in the coming years.
"We must recruit the available workers and train and educate them in such a way that the labour potential from shrinking economic sectors is utilized as effectively as possible," Institute for Employment Research (IAB) researcher Christian Schneemann said.
According to IAB calculations, some 160,000 additional workers will be required across the country by 2030 to expand renewable energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics.
An additional 40,000 workers will be needed to address climate change impacts and implement adaptation measures.
Finding qualified personnel is expected to be challenging. The study highlights particularly long recruitment times - and thus a highly strained labour market - in energy technology (112 days) and electrical engineering (114 days).
However, other sectors are already tight, including construction (100 days) and natural stone, mineral, and building material production (104 days).
IAB research notes that technical professions must be promoted at the career choice stage, foreign professional qualifications must be recognized more easily, and older people and women must be better integrated into the labour market.
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