A qualifications trap in the German construction industry: changing the production model and the consequences for the training system in the German construction industry

German construction companies traditionally rely on qualified workers. This has influenced both their production model (work organization on site) and their policy towards training and education. Due to the massive inflow of workers from countries with low labour costs, firms may fundamentally change this model to a new one which is distinguished by the combination of less qualified workers with a larger number of managers for instruction, supervision and control. This change is initially likely to have a considerable knock-on effect on the training system. However, what is even worse is that the new model is not likely to work in the long run. To date the construction industry has acquired its site managers and supervisors directly from the pool of qualified workers. By reducing training it produces a shortage of the very resource inevitably needed to be able to reduce training. The industry will fall into a qualifications trap. What is more significant is that this trap is shown as a first step towards lowering corporate image, quality of human resources, productivity and, in the end, competitiveness.