Shortage of skilled workers in the metal sector: companies struggle with problems recruiting young talent

The shortage of skilled workers is a challenge for the steel industry (Source: Adobe)

The metal sector is facing an alarming shortage of skilled workers. Demographic change and a lack of young talent have led to a worrying gap between supply and demand. But there are solutions: Long-term solutions can be found through targeted support for technical training, internal continuing education programs and close cooperation between companies and educational institutions. The metal industry must act to maintain its competitiveness and successfully overcome the shortage of skilled workers.

Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Brockmann, Executive Member of the Board of the Steel Institute VDEh, comments on the image of the industry (Source: VDEh)

The shortage of skilled workers in the metal industry is a persistent problem that affects both companies and the industry as a whole. One of the main reasons is demographic change. Many experienced skilled workers are retiring, while at the same time not enough young people are joining the industry. This leads to an imbalance between the supply of and demand for skilled workers.

Speaking to the trade journal stahl., Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Brockmann, executive board member of the Steel Institute VDEh, said there was competition for the good brains. This is all the more dramatic for the steel industry, she says, as it needs many good specialists for the transformation. In particular, it is looking for numerous metallurgists and materials engineers, too few of whom are currently coming from universities. This is a real deficit.

According to Brockmann, however, the industries are also responsible for the shortage of skilled workers, as they have been paying their employees poorly for years and are therefore partly responsible for the shortage of young talent. Furthermore, there are professions that are needed everywhere and are therefore chronically understaffed, such as computer scientists. And finally, there are industries whose image needs to be polished up - including the steel industry. However, it is not only the companies that are called upon, but above all the politicians.

According to Brockmann, political decision-makers also bear responsibility: "We have to improve educational opportunities, we have to provide more up-to-date training! We also need to promote continuing education in a targeted manner. We need to increase labor force participation, including that of women and older people. And we must increase the immigration of skilled workers. To do this, we need to open up the labor market to foreign specialists and workers in line with demand."

Companies' responses to the shortage of skilled workers

In view of the shortage of skilled workers, companies are increasingly developing concepts to counteract it. These approaches are intended to help alleviate the shortage of skilled labor and meet the demand for qualified workers.

Salzgitter AG: Targeted recruitment and focus on green transformation

Salzgitter AG makes direct contact with schoolchildren. Representatives of the steel producer in Lower Saxony regularly visit school classes or organize excursions. Young people are given even more insight at special employer fairs, where school internships, apprenticeships and dual study programs are presented. Direct contact is established with students at university fairs. Salzgitter AG also creates a professional link by means of partnerships with universities and technical colleges. Salzgitter AG offers a trainee program for people starting their careers.

Dr. Veit Echterhoff on training concepts at thyssenkrupp (Source: thyssenkrupp Steel)

Salzgitter AG is increasingly making use of the opportunities offered by the digital world to allocate training positions. The company relies on search engine optimization in order to be found more easily and is also represented with information on digital training exchanges. In addition to an intensified online presence, skilled workers are increasingly being contacted through "active sourcing", i.e. a targeted search and approach. In addition, there are traditional channels such as advertisements in trade media and online job exchanges. The Group also maintains its own profiles in various social media channels.

The SALCOS® - Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking project not only plays a central role in the Group's green transformation. The aim is to attract young people to the Group with new technologies of the future and a more strongly communicated environmental awareness.

The existing workforce is also to be prepared for the changing areas of activity through qualification and further training. To this end, more women are to be deployed as managers, as Michael Kieckbusch, Chief Human Resources Officer of Salzgitter AG, explains.

thyssenkrupp: Hydrogen expertise and high-quality training

According to its training manager Veit Echterhoff, thyssenkrupp Steel has joined forces with the IHK Niederrhein, the Center for Brennstoffzellen-Technik GmbH, the Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) and representatives of the trade union and vocational college to develop the nationally recognized "Additional Hydrogen Qualification". He explains this in the trade journal stahl. published by Vulkan-Verlag in Essen. The participants complete the additional qualification with an IHK examination. This year, for the first time, the additional qualification prepares future specialists to handle hydrogen, which plays a significant role in the green transformation of the steel industry.

Steffen Wandel on working conditions and training concepts (Source: Meleghy International)

In addition, thyssenkrupp attaches great importance to training: introductory weeks during which the apprentices, their trainers, their shop stewards and other contact personnel get to know each other better. Personal tablets simplify communication and networking with other apprentices and open up individualized and digitalized learning opportunities. After one and a half years of training, the trainees move to the companies and become part of a team. Here, they not only apply their knowledge from the workshops, but are also expected to actively help shape the sustainable future of our region.

Meleghy International: Attractive working conditions and internal training

Steffen Wandel, Head of HR at Meleghy International, sees the challenge facing the automotive industry specifically in the fact that shift systems are no longer attractive to employees. Instead, his company offers a multi-shift system and is implementing digitization measures to improve working conditions.

Meleghy Automotive also attaches great importance to internal training and development. Mentoring plays an important role here, as trainees are supported by experienced colleagues on a project basis and in day-to-day operations. Training programs are also offered for experienced employees to expand their knowledge and obtain professional qualifications. In addition, external lateral entrants with no qualifications are recruited and further developed, especially in areas where skilled personnel are hard to find or no specific vocational training is offered.

The future of the labor market: Companies counter the shortage of skilled workers

In view of the shortage of skilled workers, companies have recognized that they need to develop innovative concepts to attract qualified workers and retain them in the long term. Through these measures, companies are trying to combat the shortage of skilled workers and meet the demand for qualified specialists in the long term. The future holds promising opportunities and challenges, spurring companies to find innovative ways to deal with the shortage of skilled workers and create a sustainable working environment.

(Source: stahl., 01-02/2023)