March 4, 2026
Germany’s skilled trades sector is facing a severe labor shortage, with industry representatives estimating a gap of around 200,000 workers. The German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) reported 119,565 vacancies registered with the Federal Employment Agency at the end of December, but says the true shortfall is much higher because many companies do not list openings with the agency.
The skilled trades cover a broad range of industries, including construction; metal and electrical trades; wood and plastics; clothing and leather; food trades; health and personal services; and graphic and design crafts. Unlike some other sectors, most skilled craft businesses expect only modest growth this year and are not cutting jobs on a large scale.
Training bottlenecks are part of the problem: in 2025 about 16,213 apprenticeship positions in the sector went unfilled nationwide — nearly 2,900 fewer than the previous year. Industry leaders say the shortage reflects a continuing bias toward academic pathways. Franz Xaver Peteranderl, president of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria, warned that “too many young people — and not least their parents — still do not fully recognize the wide range of excellent career prospects in the skilled trades,” and that an “obsession with academic careers obscures the reality.”
The figures have gained attention as Munich hosts its annual Crafts and Trades Fair, where industry representatives are calling for greater recognition of vocational pathways and efforts to attract young people into apprenticeships and skilled occupations.