The Demand for Data Skills in Germany – Results of a Big Data Analysis

Firms can meet their need for data skills by engaging external service providers, offering training on the job for existing employees or hiring new employees who already have data skills. An analysis of job advertisements in Germany from 2019 to 2023 shows that companies require data skills from their new employees in every fifth job advertisement. The result is based on a machine learning model that automatically classifies more than 18 million job advertisements. In 87 per cent of the job advertisements with data skills new employees should help their employers to use data, in 84 per cent to store data and in 67 per cent to manage data. Managing and using data is more often required of college graduates, while new employees who have completed vocational training are more likely to be required to store data. However, in 59 per cent of current job advertisements with data skills companies want new employees to function as all-rounders working in all three areas. The high overlap shows how universally data skills can be applied. Overall, the growing demand for data skills among companies suggests that the data economy in Germany is developing positively. However, given the growing shortage of skilled workers in digitalisation professions, it can be challenging for companies to meet their long-term data skills needs.