Germany can only deal with structural change in the long term if there is a sufficient number of skilled hands and clever minds. Skilled labour allows our social security systems to function sustainably. It lets us influence the course of digital transformation and find smart solutions for an increasingly ageing society. Securing and expanding a solid supply of skilled labour is crucial to Germany's capacity to innovate and its competitiveness. It is also essential to being able to respond flexibly to new challenges and anticipate changes in the labour market. To shore up this foundation in the long term, it must be attractive to work as a skilled worker in Germany. It is thus a top priority for labour market and education policies.
The challenges Germany is facing in terms of its labour market and its efforts to secure the supply of skilled labour have grown. Securing and expanding Germany’s already good skilled labour pool is therefore key to the country’s innovative capacity and performance as we move towards a socio-ecological market economy.
The Federal Government’s skilled labour strategy
With the measures of the Skilled Labour Strategy, the Federal Government is helping companies recruit and retain skilled workers. For this to be successful, all actors in the labour market must do their part, including companies, employees, Länder and municipalities, social partners, chambers of trade and commerce, the Federal Employment Agency, providers of education and further training and the Federal Government. Together we will make Germany a nation of skilled workers.