The Shortage of Skilled Workers in Schleswig-Holstein: Developments and Prospects

It is shown that the total labor force gap in Schleswig-Holstein will increase to 326,799 people by 2035 under status quo assumptions and will be dominated by skilled workers. The largest labor gaps are expected in the health and social services, manufacturing, construction and trade sectors. The simulations show that the combination of increasing labor force participation - e.g. of older people and women - and skilled immigration can make a significant contribution to reducing the labor shortage. In addition, digitalization and automation should be used consistently at all levels of the state and economy to reduce labor shortages. A skilled labor strategy should focus on the coordination of all stakeholders and a permanent evaluation of the measures taken. This should be a heterogeneous bundle of measures, as there are neither individual "lighthouse measures" nor simple blueprints for tackling the problem of skilled workers.