The VDMA reports that the majority of companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector are planning to increase their workforce. According to a recent survey conducted by the association, around 82% of the 356 HR managers surveyed would like to increase their company's permanent workforce in the next six months - and are desperately looking for qualified personnel to do so. The chances of applicants finding a job are therefore currently very good.

A good 60% of those surveyed will offer more positions for skilled workers, i.e. employees with completed training. In the case of experts, i.e. academics and engineers, almost 40% of companies are planning to do so. However, the majority of respondents currently see bottlenecks for all employee groups, with the exception of auxiliary staff. This applies in particular to experts (81%) and skilled workers (90%). This means that the situation has worsened again since the previous survey in June, particularly among specialists.

"Advancing digitalization, the development of climate-friendly technologies and the mobility transition - the mechanical and plant engineering industry is facing huge challenges. For the transformation of the industry into a new era to succeed, companies need many well-trained people," emphasizes Hartmut Rauen, Deputy Managing Director of the VDMA. "As the industry with the highest level of employment, mechanical engineering will take on and shape its key role as a pioneer of the future. In the course of technological change, many highly attractive and valuable jobs will be created in the coming years. At the same time, many employees will retire and need to be replaced. The personnel bottleneck must not be allowed to become a brake on progress," warns Rauen.

More commitment to training and further education

In order to secure their own supply of skilled workers, mechanical engineering companies are continuing to focus on apprenticeships and dual study programs. HR managers at companies involved in these areas are planning to further expand the number of dual study places in engineering and IT as well as industrial/technical apprenticeships. 34% of HR managers want to offer more dual study places in the technical field in the future, compared to 30% in June. 30% of those surveyed plan to offer more technical/industrial apprenticeships, compared to 21% in June.

Around one in three HR managers stated that there are currently more further training opportunities for employees in the company compared to 2019. In the coming years, the demand for further training opportunities is likely to continue to gain momentum. Just under 60 percent of those surveyed stated that they wanted to expand the range on offer.

"The recruitment of junior staff and employees will present many companies with increasing challenges in the coming years, if only due to demographic change," says Jörg Friedrich, Head of the VDMA Education Department. "However, companies can also take countermeasures, for example by offering mobile working or specifically recruiting skilled workers from abroad. Cooperation with schools or universities can also be intensified," adds Friedrich. In particular, potential applicants who do not yet have the mechanical and plant engineering sector with its exciting, innovative jobs on their radar could be addressed in this way.

"As an association, we are involved in the vocational and academic education of young people in a variety of ways. In our Maschinenhaus project, we cooperate closely with universities to improve the quality and success of engineering studies. Our Young Talent Foundation for Mechanical Engineering supports training companies and vocational schools in dual vocational training. And we support our members in recruiting young talent through our new virtual young talent fair 'TechTalents'," says Rauen, summing up the VDMA's diverse activities.