In Germany, there are more people in employment than ever before. Yet this is still far from sufficient, with employers looking for reinforcement at all skill and qualification levels, as shown in the latest DEKRA Labor Market Report. This year, four occupations for semiskilled workers ranked among the top ten careers – more than at any time since the survey was launched 15 years ago. Practically inclined people are in particular demand in the warehouse logistics and manufacturing sectors. The shortage of professionals working with children and young people is also being fully felt – social pedagogy, as this category of employment is known in Germany, has climbed into the ten most sought-after careers for the first time. While electrical engineers are back in the top ten, the situation for sales staff has regressed slightly, at least temporarily.
- Technical and manual occupations alone account for four of the top ten
- Electrical engineers return to top ten
- Previously topping the list, sales staff drop out of the ranking for the first time
- Highest demand in health and care, clerical positions, and warehouse logistics
People currently looking for work have a strong hand to play. Since 2008, DEKRA’s Labor Market Reports have been investigating the lines of work and sectors of the economy in which employers particularly need new personnel. The latest analysis is based on 13,183 job listings.
Staff wanted across all skill levels
Virtually everyone is benefiting from the good situation in the labor market. This is confirmed by the composition of the top ten occupations. Semiskilled or nonskilled workers can apply for four of these jobs – in addition to production team members, employers require a whole host of personnel, especially for logistics operations in their warehouses.
Again, electronics technicians and health workers/nurses occupy the first two places. This year, in fact, they are almost tied. Social workers/social pedagogues, on the other hand, are new entrants into the top ten spots, making a remarkable jump to fourth in the overall ranking (2022: 20th). Their expertise is urgently needed; for instance, as social workers in schools or to assist with the integration of refugees.
Engineers and IT professionals reconverge
IT careers have again decreased as a share of the total sample, now ranking fifth out of the 28 lines of work. By way of comparison, one in ten jobs advertised was for IT professionals while the pandemic was ongoing in 2021. Software developers and programmers are especially able to choose between a wide selection of vacancies. They rank fifth for the third year running.
In the case of engineering jobs, exactly the opposite trend has been in effect. Their share of the job openings surveyed was at its lowest point two years ago (2021: 5.3%). The current uptick is due in particular to increased demand in the fields of architecture, civil, electrical, mechanical, and automotive engineering. Like software developers, electrical engineers work in a variety of different industries. They are back in the top ten occupations for the first time since 2017 (2022: 11th).
Higher and higher
Despite a large amount of the activities involved in warehouse logistics being particularly suited for automation or digitization, the number of personnel required for warehouse logistics has continued to rise. It has once again exceeded the high points attained in the past two years and climbs into third place for the first time. The high demand for staff to work in roles focusing on the storage and movement of goods is already evident from this category’s presence in the top ten occupations. Now, order pickers have also been added to the mix. In addition, a large number of vacancies are available for prospective hires with training as a warehouse specialist or warehouse logistics specialist.
Sales jobs lose ground
Sales and related jobs have experienced something of a collapse. Since the start of the survey, this line of work always made up the highest or second-highest proportion of the sample – mainly thanks to sales positions. Now, it has fallen from first to seventh place (2022: 9.5%).
For the first time, sales professionals have disappeared from the list of the top ten occupations. Customer advisors and account managers, who had previously been a fixture in the highest category, now occupy eleventh place. It is possible that businesses are somewhat more cautious in their sales hiring plans given the subdued mood in the economy. However, it is also a reality that this area is changing fundamentally with the increased shift to online channels.
“The world of work is changing, and both employees and employers need new skills – above all, an ability to learn and a willingness to keep developing,” says Katrin Haupt, CEO of DEKRA Akademie. “If companies cannot find enough staff, they have to change their thinking; for example, by moving away from exclusively looking to hire individuals who are already fully trained for the position in question. Putting employees to work in a well-directed manner that suits their individual experience and skills, while developing them step by step, if necessary, is a must in the current environment.”
What is covered in the DEKRA Labor Market Report 2023?
Over the core survey period from February 20 to 26 this year, job listings on two online job portals and in eleven German daily newspapers were evaluated. The report contains:
• … an overview of trends in careers and different categories of employment
• … in-depth analysis of the listings advertising green jobs in the electronics sector
• … detailed analysis of the work performed in e-commerce jobs
• … a special look at unconventional approaches to skills shortages and how the world of work is transforming
• … expert commentary (Bertelsmann Stiftung, Kuhn-Elektronik, Volkswagen, ZF Group)
Further in-depth information
DEKRA Akademie GmbH
Diotima Neuner-Jehle
Phone: +49 711.7861-3612
Email: diotima.neuner-jehle@dekra.com
