Market analysis

There is an acute shortage of technical specialists in the world. Companies hunt for first-class welders, fitters, crane operators, sometimes offering more salaries than salaries of mid-level managers. As employers and techies themselves say today, salaries for welders, for example, can reach 3,000 € per month.

It’s no secret that today’s young people still prefer to get higher education in the field of economist, lawyer, financier, Manager than to study technical specialties. However, economic growth depends not only on financiers and managers, but also on the development of the real sector of the economy, in which ordinary workers work. At the same time, large companies are experiencing an acute shortage of “techies”.

Lack of specialists in the field of connecting technologies — assessment, analysis, measures and prospects.

1.ASSESSMENT

DVS – The German society of welding and adjacent technologies sets the task, to analyze current trends and developments in the field of welding and connecting technologies and to provide this information to members of society and also whenever possible with assistance of the partners to develop and realize various solutions of certain problems.

Results of researches:

¾ 63% of the enterprises realize a high role of demographic changes for further development – but the most part of the enterprises, unfortunately, has no developed strategy as it is correct to react to current situation.

¾ 75% of the enterprises surveyed admitted that they had great difficulty finding personnel. The most common professions in demand are welders – 53%, engineers in the field of welding technologies – 27% and other specialties like locksmiths, etc. – 34%.

¾ The following reasons were identified as the main difficulties in finding personnel (with repeated interviews):

• 49% indicated a lack of specialists,
• 45% referred to insufficient qualifications of specialists,
• 22% mentioned other reasons.

¾ Only 36% of the enterprises surveyed in advance took care of a possible shortage of personnel in the future and found a replacement on time. 54% of enterprises have not yet found employees in those places that will soon be vacated, in view of the fact that the shortage of qualified personnel will only increase.

¾ 42 % of the surveyed enterprises indicated that due to the lack of specialists today, and in the future this trend will increase, they can not fully or partially fulfill orders. As a result, today there are losses in the turnover of enterprises.

Below are the statements of some of the surveyed enterprises:

• A large enterprise in the field of machine and hardware: “Our company has 450 employees and an annual turnover of more than 50 Million. Euro annually trains about 20 young people, which means that we are constantly on the training of about 75 young professionals. We also offer places for trainees and graduates who wish to get acquainted with the production at our company. Thus, today we are trying to solve this problem.“
• Machine-building enterprise: “We focus on our own training, but at the same time face the problem that good professionals are quickly lured by other firms. A related problem is that a lot of money is invested in training, but we do not have benefit from it. Of course, a good incentive would be financial support for training firms, respectively, more firms would be engaged in the organization of training. Our company has 35 employees and we currently have 8 students on training.

Of course, financial support for training firms would be a good incentive; accordingly, more firms would organize training. “Our company has 35 employees and we currently have 8 students in training.”
Certainly, training of personnel is a good way of the solution of a demographic problem. At the same time, the following points of view take place:
“We liquidated our enterprise. The main reason for it is the competition from the countries with the low level of the salary and an acute shortage of personnel”.

2. ANALYSIS

In order to deal with the shortage of personnel at the enterprises of the welding industry, one intensive training is not enough, so now in DVS other possible solutions to the problem are being discussed:

• Workers must maintain their skills longer and remain in the profession!
• Make possible the influx of specialists from abroad!
• Stimulate young professionals!
• Work with young cadres should be of primary importance at enterprises and organizations – as well as in the welding society itself!
• Hitherto untapped human resources should be used purposefully!
• The status of welding technology must constantly grow!

The following are examples of how to respond to a growing shortage of staff. We are talking about primary measures, further measures should be taken individually! The following text should encourage DVS member companies to take active steps to address this issue.

3. MEASURES

How long can specialists work at the enterprise?

Workers should maintain their skills for as long as possible and remain in professional activities. In the field of connecting technologies, they are also distinguished between executive personnel (for example, welders) and process management personnel (for example, engineers, technologists).

In the first group of workers, their medical data must be taken into account. In most cases, the continuation of employment is possible only through further training and retraining. In any case, such programs should be planned in advance, taking into account the working process. It is recommended, even for the beginning welders to use the various program combining both work on production and advanced training courses.

For employees of the second group should be provided with continuous and timely training, which would increase their professional activity. Studies have shown that in highly qualified professions there is no age-related decline in professional competence.

Now there are several programs for foreign training of specialists. Taking into account the political and social aspects, it is possible to train specialists for the German labour market also abroad. Thanks to the new programs, qualified foreign specialists can be in demand in the German labor market.

Welding is Your step towards professional growth and well-being!
Training of the next generation of specialists should be an important point in solving this problem. Therefore, the rating of welding specialties should be constantly increased. A new generation of professionals should be clear about their chances in the field of connecting technologies.
These grants have to be financed by various contributions and, first of all, be given to the students needing support.
Next, you should think about the fact that the technology of connection and welding were available in addition to the technical specialties, along with the “normal” education, so that the beginning expert has all the necessary specialized knowledge.

Welding for youth, the student’s congress and not only – special offers for young specialists! The German society of welding gives support to young specialists.

One of the known events held by society is “The competition of the young welder” (“Jugend schweißt”) which successfully came to the end in October, 2007 and will continue in 2009 at the international exhibition in Essen of SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN. This competition gives chance to many students in the field of welding technologies.

Besides, it is necessary to pay special attention to support of students, young scientists and engineers. The meeting of 70 students on the occasion of the DIE VERBINDUNGS SPEZIALISTEN conference which took place in 2007 in Basel was the first action. Further in 2008 the congress for students and young scientists in Dresden took place. The congress was prepared and carried out by students as only active involvement of students does possible integration of young shots into the field of welding technologies. Such programs have to cover as the young people, and process engineers focused on production.

Welding for women!
Women’s specialties are still not represented in the field of welding technology, which should be corrected soon. Last year, the first special training course for women was offered.
Participants are not released from the DVS field of view throughout the training process. The experience and success of welders should be a good motivation for other women.

Welding — cool, clever und clean!
Welding professions have always been unfairly accompanied by the characteristic “dusty, dirty and dangerous” (dirty, dusty and dangerous).
DVS actively fights against this image the new motto “Fügen: cool, clever and clean”.