Konjunktur: Ifo: Fachkräftemangel nimmt mit der Konjunkturbelebung zu

Germany's skilled labor shortage is growing as the economy recovers, according to the latest Ifo survey. In July, 23.2% of companies reported a shortage of qualified workers, up from 21.1% in April. While this increase is still below the long-term average of 31.7%, it suggests the shortage could worsen with stronger economic growth.

Ifo researcher Daria Schaller noted that "with a stronger economic recovery, the skills gap would also increase more noticeably." Germany's economy has been bouncing back, with growth for the third consecutive quarter in April-June. The industrial sector, boosted by large government contracts for infrastructure and defense, has also seen an uptick in optimism.

However, the labor market has yet to fully benefit from the recovery. "More unemployed people do not automatically mean more available skilled workers," Schaller explained. "What matters is whether the qualifications and requirements of open positions align." The services sector's share of companies struggling to find skilled workers remains nearly unchanged at 25.7%.

However, this rose significantly in telecommunications, reaching a high of 31.1% since October 2023. In law and accounting, the percentage jumped to 64.7% from 52.4% last time. Retail still has a relatively low skills shortage of 16.2%. In industry, 18.7% of companies reported a shortage - a notable 4.5 percentage point rise from April.

The paper industry faced the biggest struggle, with 35.0% reporting difficulty finding adequately trained staff. Nearly a third of construction firms reported a lack of skilled labor.