Betrieblicher Arbeitskräftebedarf 2006 - 2012

"Based on the two IAB establishment surveys - the IAB Establishment Panel and the IAB Job Vacancy Survey - this report sheds light on the German labour market from the firms' perspective and gives information about the labour demand and resulting skills shortages for the years 2006 to 2012. With regard to the labour demand it becomes apparent that the increase in the number of jobholders which started around 2005 is continuing. Also, the number of vacancies remains on a high level. The labour demand developed unequally in different segments of the labour market: the economically weaker regions in Eastern Germany recently became more dynamic. Differentiated by branches, especially the Business-related Services show a high uncovered labour demand in relation to their total employment numbers. Predominantly, employees with completed vocational training are searched for, but compared to the previous year also the demand for unskilled workers rose recently. On an occupational level there is high demand for electrical and for social occupations. Furthermore, firms expect an increasing demand for skilled workers in health and education in the near future. Although a high labour demand can contain references to possible labour market tightness, it cannot be put on the same level as shortages of skilled employees. This can only be diagnosed by also including the labour supply and by analysing firms' difficulties in covering their demands for new employees. For the German economy as a whole, these indicators show that labour market tightness is high but that there are no overall shortages of skilled employees or workers. However, a closer look on the different labour market segments reveals big differences. On a regional level, shortages of skilled employees are most probable in Schleswig-Holstein, Bavaria and Hesse. In total, the Eastern German labour market is still less tense, but increasingly conforms to the Western German situation. With respect to branches there is evidence for shortages of skilled employees primarily in several service sectors, especially in Information and Communication as well as in Other Services where quantitative shortages of applicants seem to become solid. Here, Social and Health Services, which are part of the Other Services, are particularly important. This assumption can be confirmed from the occupational perspective: care professions as well as educators and social workers are among the occupations showing indicators for shortages of skilled employees. Also, technical occupations, such as technicians or engineers for mechanical engineering or electrical technicians or engineers as well as electricians show very low ratios of unemployed persons and vacancies. Difficulties in recruiting often occur for IT specialists/ computer scientists. All in all, the view on the different labour market segments shows a heterogeneous picture. Even though the labour market remains tense, the results do not indicate a general lack of skilled employees. However, certain occupations, branches, and regions can be identified where the balancing process between demand and supply does not proceed without problems or quickly (anymore)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))