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Heat pump in the basement of a residential building: 9.4 percent fewer employees in plumbing and heating than ten years ago
Photo:
Silas Stein / dpa
Heat pumps, solar thermal systems and other greener heating systems are believed to be key in the fight against dependence on Russian energy.
However, there is a growing lack of personnel for the installation and maintenance of these systems.
The number of employees in plumbing and heating has shrunk by a whopping 9.4 percent within ten years, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office.
Only 275,000 people were employed in the industry in Germany last year.
Ten years earlier it was just under 303,000 people.
In addition, almost every fifth employee was between 55 and 64 years old in 2021 - and is therefore likely to retire in the coming years.
Thousands of apprenticeships in the trades are vacant
In view of the general shortage of skilled workers, the president of the trades, Hans Peter Wollseifer, calls for an "educational turnaround".
»We are assuming that there is a quarter of a million skilled workers who are missing in the skilled trades.
We are missing a lot of young people in training.« Goals proclaimed by politicians are therefore difficult to achieve.
"We are ready to increase training capacities," said the President of the Central Association of German Crafts.
»The problem lies elsewhere: our companies have been offering thousands of training places and thus training opportunities for years, but these are not being used.
We need applicants for this.
That's the problem."
More appreciation and more recognition for vocational training is necessary, but above all adequate funding for vocational training, said Wollseifer.
“Our educational establishments and vocational schools must no longer be treated as stepchildren in terms of educational policy.
There must no longer be a two-tier society in education policy.«
Only every 75th apprentice is female
For the president of the trades, the educational turnaround means: “We have to get away from the idea that only a degree can bring professional and personal success, and towards more recognition and appreciation of vocational training.” Four points are important:
"Over-academicization is a mistake," said Wollseifer.
Vocational and academic education are equally important to bring about the transformation.
They should also be treated equally.
Equivalence must be anchored in law and expressed in more non-material and material appreciation for vocational training.
»With a legal stipulation of equivalence, politicians are then required by law to give equal consideration to both educational paths when allocating funds.«
Training companies would have to be relieved noticeably and the vocational training centers would have to be further strengthened.
“More attractive offers for trainees are needed, such as trainee housing or trainee tickets,” said the crafts president.
A nationwide study and career orientation is necessary, which provides open-ended information about both educational paths and career paths - nationwide at all general schools, including high schools.
At least in the plumbing and heating sector, the gap in trainees seems to be closing slowly.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of apprentices rose by 13.5 percent to 37,600 in a ten-year comparison.
However, it may still take some time until they have completed their multi-year training.
The industry could still catch up in one area in particular: the profession of sanitary and heating engineer continues to be chosen almost exclusively by men.
Only every 75th training place went to a woman.
apr/dpa
