Job outlook in Germany for 2020

According to a report released in 2015 by CEDEFOP, European Center for the Development of Vocational Training, which gives details of the Skills Forecast for Germany up to 2025, employment growth in Germany is expected to be in business and other services.

Based on this report the top jobs of 2020 will be available in the engineering, mechanical, electrical and IT fields. The healthcare sector will see more demand for nurses and caregivers, owing to the increase in the aging population in the country.

The job outlook for 2020 says there will be demand for professionals in science, engineering, business, healthcare, and teaching. 25% of jobs are expected to be for high-level professionals in these fields. 17% of jobs are expected to be for technicians while 14% of jobs are expected to be open for clerical support professionals according to the CEDEFOP report.

The job opportunities in Germany in 2020 and beyond will be a mixture of newly generated employment and the need to replace those who leave or move on to other employment due to retirement. In fact, an aging population is a major reason for the skill shortage in Germany.

Here is a detailed account of the jobs that will be in demand in 2020.

Medical professionals

Germany is expected to have a shortage of medical professionals in the coming years. Individuals with a foreign degree in medicine can move to the country and get a license to practice medicine here. Applicants from both EU and non-Eu countries can obtain a license to practice in Germany. But their degree must be equal to the medical qualification in Germany.

Engineering professions

A high number of vacancies are projected for the following fields of engineering. There would be strong career opportunities for those with a university degree in any of these engineering areas:

• Structural engineering
• Computer science engineering
• Mechanical engineering
• Electrical engineering
• Automotive engineering
• Telecommunications

Job opportunities in MINT – Mathematics, Information technology, Natural sciences, and Technology

Individuals with degrees in mathematics, information technology, natural sciences, and technology (MINT) will have good job opportunities.

Jobs in non-specialized areas

In 2020 there will also be job opportunities in Germany that do not require specialized qualifications such as nursing, industrial mechanics and retail sales.

Job outlook after the Coronavirus pandemic

However, there have been changes in the job outlook post the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

German employers are expecting the hiring to slow down in the third quarter of this year. Hiring prospects are expected to be bright in the construction, finance and business service and other service sectors. It is expected to slow down in the restaurants and hotel sectors.

The German government on its part is trying its best to reduce the impact of the pandemic on the labor market. Measures such as Kurzarbeit, a short-time work program where the relationship between employers and employees is maintained so that employees are able to contribute once business picks up.

This short-time work program where employees work for reduced hours when the business is low. The company pays for the hours worked and the government pays 60 to 67% of the pay for the hours not worked.

For German companies struggling with a shortage of skilled labor, this makes sense because employers do not run the risk of losing employees they have trained. Such programs help in the recovery form short-term economic slumps caused by factors like the present pandemic.

Such government support is welcome to German companies and their employees impacted by the pandemic. It is also an indication of the government’s support for the workforce and can be a positive factor to work in Germany.