What is the truth about Germany's skilled-labor shortage?
IT specialists, nurses, and even hairdressers - Germany lacks skilled personnel seemingly everywhere. Is the skills gap homemade, and ultimately an issue of wages and conditions? Bonn's labor market seems broken these days. Employers, not workers, are desperately seeking employees. Cafes in the town center display "employees wanted" notices. A local shoemaker told DW that he is unable to find an apprentice, as his children prefer to study at university. The blacksmith at the nearby equestrian center is similarly desperate because the apprentice he trained for several years did not want to stay on. In the current economic situation, finding an adequate replacement is nearly impossible. One of his neighbors who works for a large corporation, the shoemaker said, is also looking for staff — but even larger organizations cannot find the IT specialists they need. According to a recent report from the Economy Ministry, Germany's shortage of skilled workers is "acutel...