Labor market in Saxony-Anhalt: stability despite a shortage of skilled workers!

Labor market in Saxony-Anhalt: stability despite a shortage of skilled workers!

The labor market in Saxony-Anhalt appears to be stable despite adverse conditions. According to a current report from the State of Saxony-Anhalt, the situation remains challenging for many companies, especially due to the ongoing shortage of skilled workers and the declining willingness to train. In a comprehensive survey that covered 15,900 companies nationwide in the 29th wave of the IAB company panel, it emerged that 27% of companies in Saxony-Anhalt created new jobs, while 23% reduced the number of employees. Labor Minister Petra Grimm-Benne emphasizes the importance of investing in training, qualifications and fair working conditions.

A look at the numbers clearly shows: 62% of companies in Saxony-Anhalt were unable to fill open skilled worker positions in the first half of 2024, which is twice as many as ten years ago. The employment development is complex - with a decline in the number of employees subject to social security contributions of 0.7%, which is above the East German average.

Shortage of skilled workers: A look into the future

The challenges are not new, but the urgency is growing. The shortage of skilled workers will remain one of the biggest construction sites for the German economy in the coming years. According to Statista, there were over 387,000 vacancies for qualified workers in Germany in March 2025. Sales professions, medical health professions and numerous skilled trades are particularly affected. Bottleneck occupations often have vacancy periods of over 280 days, especially in the construction industry, where the demand for skilled workers is constantly increasing.

The skilled worker monitoring, which is carried out for the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, predicts that there will be around seven million fewer skilled workers available by 2035. This gap must be closed through targeted measures, in particular by promoting women, older employees and non-Germans in order to raise and use the existing potential. 

Strategies for securing skilled workers

In Saxony-Anhalt, 64% of companies are trying to promote the compatibility of family and work - a trend that has increased by 37 percentage points compared to 2012. At the same time, it can be seen that almost half of the companies are authorized to provide training, but only around half actually provide training. The reasons lie in the often weak applicant situation and a lack of human resources. The dropout rates in educational institutions, especially among people of foreign nationality, are also worrying, as the information from the BMAS shows.

The need to ensure that young people and career changers have the opportunity to be supported and integrated into work is urgent. This is also influenced by demographic changes and digitalization. The number of people in employment is falling while the demand for qualified workers is increasing - a rethink must take place here.

Across all sectors, it will not be possible to sustainably secure skilled workers without taking into account demographic, educational and labor market conditions and better integration of immigrants. In the coming years, it will be the responsibility of companies to benefit from the shortage of skilled workers and to create various incentives. Otherwise, finding qualified employees remains a real challenge.