The Federal Association of the German Confectionery Industry (BDSI) said more than 50% of companies in its confectionery industry also have difficulties finding suitable trainees for nutritional or technical professions. It often takes up to a year to fill vacancies for trainees. In some cases, the positions remain unfilled.
With currently two million vacancies in German companies and a diminishing working-age population of approximately 400,000 people per year, the government needs to do more to attract skilled and unskilled workers, the BDSI said
“One of the central challenges for almost all companies in our industry is the recruitment of workers, especially in production, but also in many other fields of work. We not only need skilled workers from abroad, but also urgently need workers for simple production activities," said Bastian Fassin, Chairman of the BDSI.
“It is good and right that the federal government wants to introduce a new immigration law. However, this must take into account the workforce required by companies, and should be implemented as soon as possible - be designed in an unbureaucratic manner."
Fassin said the BDSI has written to the government with its recommendations, which include:
• easier immigration in Germany also for people without qualifications and without professional qualifications as well as for young people to take up training in Germany
• dismantle the bureaucratic hurdles associated with immigration as quickly as possible
• priority of immigration to the labour market over immigration to the social systems
• no deportation for refugees integrated in Germany with an employment relationship that is subject to social security contributions.
As reported by ConfectioneryNews last month, the German Confectionery Industry also issued a warning to the federal government that jobs are at risk in many small and medium-sized family businesses due to broken supply chains, skyrocketing energy costs, raw material costs - and raw material availability for future productions, including Christmas orders.