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Fewer apprentices in Brandenburg: Crafts urgently need new blood!
In Potsdam-Mittelmark, the number of applicants for training places in the craft sector is falling, which is presenting companies with new challenges.
Fewer apprentices in Brandenburg: Crafts urgently need new blood!
Ingo Kaplick, who has been running a farm butcher shop in Alt Bork since 2017, has come a long way to offer his first training in the craft. 16-year-old Hannes Keller, his great cousin, has been working with him as an apprentice since September 2024. This step was necessary for Kaplick after he had not previously received any applications for apprenticeships. He sees this as a sign of young people's dwindling interest in skilled trades, which is a serious problem in the region. Only around 689 apprentices were active in the skilled trades in Potsdam-Mittelmark in 2024 - a decrease of 14 compared to the previous year, as stated [maz-online.de].
The situation is not isolated, as the Berlin-Brandenburg Federal Employment Agency reported a decline in training places of around 1,000 at the end of May 2024 compared to the previous year. In contrast, the IHK Potsdam cannot confirm this trend and even records an increase in training places compared to the stats before the pandemic. Detlef Gottschling, press spokesman for the IHK Potsdam, explains that many companies are increasingly relying on internal networks and digital platforms to attract new talent.
Challenges in craftsmanship
The challenges faced by young people in the skilled trades are of a profound nature. For example, Dirk Borgwardt, a master mechanic, mentions that he has trained at least one apprentice per year for 28 years and is now observing a clear decline in the number of applicants. He sees the need to inspire young people for skilled trades and at the same time calls for an improvement in the level of education in schools. This view is supported by Ines Weitermann, press spokeswoman for the Potsdam Chamber of Crafts, who also calls for urgent measures to improve school education.
A larger look at the industry shows that the shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades reached a record level in 2022 with around 236,818 vacancies. According to kofa.de, no suitable skilled workers could be found out of 128,891 open positions. The construction trades, which are of central importance for the energy transition, are particularly affected, especially in the areas of construction electrical engineering and plumbing and air conditioning technology.
Looking for solutions
Dual training represents a key strategy for securing skilled workers. Nevertheless, the number of newly concluded training contracts is declining overall, which results in a large number of unfilled training positions. In the future, more training positions will be offered in the areas of building electrical engineering, plumbing and heating construction, and roofing, as these professions are particularly popular. However, the number of training places on offer increased faster than the number of applicants. This leaves many positions unfilled, a problem that needs to be solved, as bmas.de highlights.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the challenges in crafts represent a problem for society as a whole. Demographic change, digital transformation and geopolitical developments have a significant impact on the labor market situation. It's high time we sat down at the table together and found solutions that not only advance the craft, but also society as a whole.