Pharmaceuticals in Transition: The Need for Skilled Labour in an Era of Digital Transformation
Jasmina Kirchhoff / Lydia Malin / Simon Schumacher IW-Trends No. 2 24. June 2022 Pharmaceuticals in Transition: The Need for Skilled Labour in an Era of Digital Transformation
The shortage of skilled workers is increasingly confronting companies in Germany with major challenges. In view of the demographic and transformational tasks, there is a considerable danger that this situation will exacerbate.
Jasmina Kirchhoff / Lydia Malin / Simon Schumacher German Economic Institute (IW)
The shortage of skilled workers is increasingly confronting companies in Germany with major challenges. In view of the demographic and transformational tasks, there is a considerable danger that this situation will exacerbate.
Companies in the pharmaceutical industry are also among those facing difficulties in filling vacancies, a situation which could adversely affect Germany's positioning in the international competition between innovative pharmaceutical industries. On the one hand, unfilled vacancies in IT professions indispensable to the pharmaceutical sector are a nationwide problem. In particular, the widespread scarcity of IT, business information systems and software development experts, who are also increasingly in demand in other sectors, is proving particularly challenging. Germany’s pharmaceutical industry, which specialises in research as well as the development and production of highly complex medicines, can only succeed by forging ahead with the process of digitalisation, and long-term shortages in this area could well become a serious hurdle for the future development of its domestic production. On the other hand, an analysis of skilled worker bottlenecks in the biotechnology-based cluster of Upper Bavaria illustrates the impact of potential staff shortages on Germany's hopes of enhancing its position as a centre for highly innovative and biotech-based pharmaceuticals. This difficulty of filling vacancies in key professions relevant to the sector, and here especially for those with recognised apprenticeship programmes, poses particular challenges for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
Immigration from North Africa: Initial successes and further potential for securing skilled labor
With the baby boomers retiring from the labour market, Germany will be increasingly dependent on skilled workers from abroad in the coming years in order to avoid massive bottlenecks in the labour market and to secure growth and prosperity.
Securing Skilled Labour by Attracting and Retaining International Students: The Status Quo and Suggested Approaches for Policymakers
The demographic transition is expected to leave Germany with a serious shortage of skilled workers. To alleviate this bottleneck, more young people from abroad should be trained at German universities and offered the prospect of long-term residence.
This website uses necessary cookies to ensure the operation of the website. An analysis of user behavior by third parties does not take place. You can find detailed information about the use of cookies in our privacy policy.
German Economic Institute (IW) 
