Signite's Magazine

The energy transition, i.e. the switch in energy generation from fossil fuels (e.g. coal) to sustainable energy sources (solar panels, wind turbines) and electric cars, is increasing the demand for well-trained skilled workers in the industry. In addition, an above-average number of people in Germany will be retiring in the coming years. There are currently […]

Economic downturn or not, the metal and electrical industry in northern Germany is still in great need of skilled labour. Depending on the company, there is currently a shortage of between 10 and 20 per cent of skilled workers. According to a survey by the Nordmetall trade union, around 42,000 skilled workers are currently being […]

Carers employed in public institutions, i.e. those belonging to the state, will receive more money in the first half of 2024. From 1 March, nursing staff employed in public institutions will receive more money. This is the result of the agreement reached in collective bargaining for the public sector at federal and municipal level. Their […]

According to the latest Skilled Labour Report from the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), more than 80 percent of German companies fear negative consequences for their economic development due to labour shortages. The labour shortage is already forcing 40% of companies to reduce their own range of services, while others are losing orders, […]

Germany is undergoing major demographic change with increasingly significant implications for the world of work. According to a forecast in the new study ‘Immigration and the Labour Market’ by the Bertelsmann Foundation, without immigration, Germany’s working population would decline by 10 percent by 2040 and by as much as 20 percent by 2060, meaning that […]

Collectively agreed salaries for trainees are rising. Thanks to a 6.4 percent increase in collectively agreed training allowances in the current 2024/25 training year, there are now only a few sectors in which trainees receive less than €1,000 per month in their first year under the collective agreement. According to the results of a recent […]

On 1 July, the national minimum wage for nursing care in Germany will increase. This is the third and final stage of the increase decided by the Nursing Commission at the beginning of last year. Nursing staff will then receive at least €20.50 per hour. According to the federal government, around 1.3 million people work […]

The new German government has also brought about a change in personnel at the Ministry of Health. Nina Warken took over from Karl Lauterbach as Federal Minister of Health last week. She is calling for more powers and better working conditions for nursing staff. She believes it is important to tailor tasks more closely to […]

The industry trade union IG BCE and the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies are warning of impending competitive disadvantages and a weakening of innovative strength. The most important reason for this is the significant shortage of labour. This applies to laboratories as well as to production halls and research departments in the industry. According […]

In a nationwide raid, the customs authorities searched for evidence of social security fraud and illegal employment in the care sector. The action was directed against a complex of companies that provide care staff for 24-hour care in private households, according to the public prosecutor’s office in Dortmund and the main customs office in Münster. […]

The shortage of skilled labour is affecting many sectors in Germany. It has now also reached the traditional branch of mechanical engineering. At the start of the new training year, many apprenticeship places remain unfilled. This is because there is a lack of qualified applicants, according to the industry association VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und […]

Germany’s Federal Statistical Office has published new statistics on the recognition of foreign professional qualifications. According to the figures, the number of positive recognition procedures increased from 52,300 in 2022 to 65,300 in 2023 (up 25 per cent). This is 11% more than in the previous year. Compared to 2016, when Destatis recorded the recognition […]

Germany is undergoing major demographic change with increasingly significant implications for the world of work. According to a forecast in the new study ‘Immigration and the Labour Market’ by the Bertelsmann Foundation, without immigration, Germany’s working population would decline by 10 percent by 2040 and by as much as 20 percent by 2060, meaning that […]

Collectively agreed salaries for trainees are rising. Thanks to a 6.4 percent increase in collectively agreed training allowances in the current 2024/25 training year, there are now only a few sectors in which trainees receive less than €1,000 per month in their first year under the collective agreement. According to the results of a recent […]

On 1 July, the national minimum wage for nursing care in Germany will increase. This is the third and final stage of the increase decided by the Nursing Commission at the beginning of last year. Nursing staff will then receive at least €20.50 per hour. According to the federal government, around 1.3 million people work […]

The new German government has also brought about a change in personnel at the Ministry of Health. Nina Warken took over from Karl Lauterbach as Federal Minister of Health last week. She is calling for more powers and better working conditions for nursing staff. She believes it is important to tailor tasks more closely to […]