Employment agency expects more employment despite crises

Created: 01/03/2023Updated: 01/03/2023 11:32 am

The logo of the Federal Employment Agency lights up.

© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa/symbol picture

War in the Ukraine, inflation, extremely high energy prices - despite numerous crises, Hamburg's head of employment agency assumes that the need for labor will increase.

He makes a promise to school leavers looking for a training position.

Hamburg - The head of the Hamburg Employment Agency, Sönke Fock, expects a high demand for jobs and especially skilled workers despite the challenges this year in the Hanseatic city.

"This means that overall employment in Hamburg will not only remain high, but will even increase," predicted Fock on Tuesday.

This is the opportunity for job seekers from the region, from Germany or from abroad to apply for vacancies in Hamburg.

In December, however, the number of unemployed rose slightly.

Compared to November, it increased by 0.9 percent to 74,719.

Compared to December 2021, the increase was 5.3 percent.

As in October and November, the rate at the end of the year was 6.9 percent and thus 0.3 points above the value of December 2021.

According to Fock, one of the reasons for the increased number of unemployed is the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the associated high number of refugees.

"At the end of December, 5,286 Ukrainians were registered as unemployed," said Fock.

They received help with subsistence, language courses, professional integration offers and access to the Hamburg job market.

According to the latest data from October, the number of employees subject to social security contributions rose to 1.06 million.

"An increase of 31,400 or 3.1 percent within one year, which is again well above the national average increase of 1.5 percent," said Fock.

The workforce in the areas of real estate, freelance, scientific and technical services as well as information and communication has been increased in particular.

But the hospitality industry is also not far from the pre-corona level.

According to Fock, banks and insurance companies recorded a minimal decline of 100 employees.

With 69,803 unemployed, the employment agency counted the lowest number of women and men without a job in May 2022 - after the corona-related high of 91,140 in July 2020. Unemployment rose again as a result of the Ukraine war.

"In 2022, the average monthly unemployment was 73,800, well below the figure of 80,400 in 2021," said Fock.

The head of the agency was not satisfied with the training market, which also lagged behind the pre-Corona period last year.

More than 14,000 training contracts were signed in 2019.

Last year it was only a good 11,600.

Almost 1,100 of the almost 9,800 reported vacancies remained unfilled.

With a view to the 6,500 vacancies reported for this year, Fock promised all school leavers who would like to start an apprenticeship that they would actually get a place in the fall.

The prerequisite is that interested parties register by the end of February with their half-year report.

Fock also appealed to parents, relatives, teachers, sports coaches and educators to promote training.

"High school graduates should also immerse themselves in the world of fantastic and demanding apprenticeships and dual study programs that local companies offer them," said Fock.

dpa