Fachkräftemangel im Handwerk? - Eine Spurensuche

This article investigates whether the German crafts sector, which has traditionally been dominated by small and mediumsized enterprises, is facing a shortage of skilled workers. The implications of several empirical results are discussed and it is shown that, compared to the economy as a whole, an above-average number of craft enterprises is currently experiencing shortages in the vocational training and labour markets. One reason for this is their weak labour market position, which has already created recruitment problems in the past. Another is that demographic developments are diminishing the supply of human capital in the crafts sector in various ways. For example, owing to their high dependence on in-company vocational training, craft enterprises in particular are confronted with the first signs of the demographic change being reflected in a strong decline in the number of young applicants for training places. Against this background, it is argued that it is becoming a matter of increasing urgency to develop effective strategies for improving employer attractiveness in the German crafts sector.