According to the Chamber of Commerce, there was a shortage of almost 180,000 skilled workers this year.
Despite Corona, the need for skilled workers in Austria is still massive. This is the result of a survey commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce (WKO). The Institute for Economic Research in Education surveyed 4,431 companies from various sectors on the subject.
Result: 62 percent feel a strong or very strong shortage of skilled workers, 58.6 percent have vacancies. Almost half of the companies see themselves as being restricted in their innovation activities, 61 percent complained about a drop in sales due to a lack of skilled workers.
Strong demand for installers
A total of around 177,000 skilled workers are lacking in Austria. This is compared to 466,000 unemployed and 324,000 people on short-time work. “With the right measures in the field of education and training as well as in the field of mobility, it must be possible to recruit specialists from this pool,” says WKO General Secretary Karlheinz Kopf. The highest demand is in the skilled trades. Margit Kreuzhuber, expert for securing skilled workers at the WKO, highlights some professional groups: “The demand from electrical and pipe fitters, carpenters and roofers is particularly strong.”
Possible solution: additional mobility. This becomes clear with the electrical installers. At the end of November there were 150 vacancies in Salzburg according to WKO compared to 45 plumbers registered as unemployed, while in Vienna there were only 282 vacancies for 842 unemployed plumbers.
“Day after the crisis”
In 2019 there was a shortage of 207,000 skilled workers – 30,000 more than this year. The current survey was carried out at the end of September. According to her, there is also a lack of skilled workers in areas that are currently almost shut down, such as the hospitality industry or retail. This situation should be viewed in the long term, emphasizes Kreuzhuber: “It will be an issue again as soon as the corona situation has stabilized.” Accordingly, Kopf recommends anticipating the demographic development: “We have to act now, because there is also a day after Corona crisis.”
