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BS! Here we are literally hundreds of us on GCF qualified to build the best German cars on the planet! 
Germany has long been viewed as a world leader when it comes to its workforce and propensity to develop pioneering new technologies, but that soon may change in light of recent job outlook reports.
Last month the VDI German engineering association released its latest report, highlighting the fact that Germany’s aging workforce and continually declining interest in technical studies have led to a shortage of 77,000 engineers – an all-time high, according to Bloomberg.
Why is that a concern to the auto industry in particular? For starters, BMW is currently looking to hire about 800 workers for its Leipzig factory for its new i3 and i8 hybrid cars, while Porsche is looking to add 1,000 workers at a plant not far away from the Leipzig plant.
“Until about two years ago we had hardly heard of companies in the region struggling to find skilled staff,” said Burkhard Jung, Leipzig Mayor in an interview. “But the scarcity of engineers appears to have become an issue now.”
Willi Fuchs, director for the VDI association believes the shortage could have a very real impact on all German automakers, ranging from Volkswagen, to BMW to Mercedes-Benz. “It’s a very serious problem that could hold up research and development of new cars.”
As one would expect, wages and job offers are both on the rise for young engineers as they come out of their respective schools. Bloomberg points out one student, Jan Assmann, landed a job offer just two weeks and two applications after starting his search – fresh out of school.
“I was going to stay at university after my studies to do research, but the career opportunities convinced me to take up a job straight away,” said Assmann.
BMW takes a proactive role in solving the problem
Realizing that the problem will not likely solve itself, or at least not soon enough, BMW has begun bachelor’s degree program at special colleges located in Ingolstadt and Deggendorf, both producing “in-house” engineers.
Across “the pond,” BMW has also partnered with Clemson University in South Carolina, and also opened an education center for electric mobility that trains 150 workers each month.
Source: http://www.leftlanenews.com/german-auto-industry-short-on-qualified-engineers.html#
Germany has long been viewed as a world leader when it comes to its workforce and propensity to develop pioneering new technologies, but that soon may change in light of recent job outlook reports.
Last month the VDI German engineering association released its latest report, highlighting the fact that Germany’s aging workforce and continually declining interest in technical studies have led to a shortage of 77,000 engineers – an all-time high, according to Bloomberg.
Why is that a concern to the auto industry in particular? For starters, BMW is currently looking to hire about 800 workers for its Leipzig factory for its new i3 and i8 hybrid cars, while Porsche is looking to add 1,000 workers at a plant not far away from the Leipzig plant.
“Until about two years ago we had hardly heard of companies in the region struggling to find skilled staff,” said Burkhard Jung, Leipzig Mayor in an interview. “But the scarcity of engineers appears to have become an issue now.”
Willi Fuchs, director for the VDI association believes the shortage could have a very real impact on all German automakers, ranging from Volkswagen, to BMW to Mercedes-Benz. “It’s a very serious problem that could hold up research and development of new cars.”
As one would expect, wages and job offers are both on the rise for young engineers as they come out of their respective schools. Bloomberg points out one student, Jan Assmann, landed a job offer just two weeks and two applications after starting his search – fresh out of school.
“I was going to stay at university after my studies to do research, but the career opportunities convinced me to take up a job straight away,” said Assmann.
BMW takes a proactive role in solving the problem
Realizing that the problem will not likely solve itself, or at least not soon enough, BMW has begun bachelor’s degree program at special colleges located in Ingolstadt and Deggendorf, both producing “in-house” engineers.
Across “the pond,” BMW has also partnered with Clemson University in South Carolina, and also opened an education center for electric mobility that trains 150 workers each month.
Source: http://www.leftlanenews.com/german-auto-industry-short-on-qualified-engineers.html#
