Anyone wishing to understand the skills shortage trends in Germany can ask Valeria Quispe. This 27-year-old statistician works at the German Economic Institute in Cologne where she evaluates the corresponding data – in great detail and differentiated by sector and region. She was born in Peru and is an expert in the German labour market. She is moreover now a German citizen – Valeria Quispe was naturalised in 2023.

The close connection with her new homeland began during her childhood in Peru. Valeria Quispe attended the German-Peruvian school in Lima from fifth grade onwards. The young Valeria had already attracted attention due to her good school grades. She was awarded a scholarship and learned German. She obtained her university-entrance diploma in 2016. A year later, the young woman chose to relocate to Germany. She started an economics degree in Bonn in the winter semester of October 2017. ‘It felt really good arriving in Germany’, Valeria Quispe recalls.

What helps to ease arrival in Germany?

Relatives had told her about Alumniportal Deutschland. This gave the young student the answers to her main issues with integration. ‘There are lots of things you simply don’t know when you’ve just arrived. You don’t know how to deal with the bureaucracy.’ And it was unclear how her residence permit could be extended. ‘I now know about things like that thanks to the Alumniportal.’ It had experienced members who were happy to help the newcomer. ‘We were all new arrivals in Germany. At some point we all had concerns or doubts.’ But we were always able to turn to our new contacts in the network. And Valeria Quispe got to know Germany, she attended Alumni meetings in Berlin and Munich. This good introduction helped her to succeed in her studies. She was awarded her bachelor’s degree in Bonn in 2020. She then continued her studies at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Less than five years after her arrival in Germany, she obtained her master’s degree in economics in 2022.

Which jobs and sectors in Germany face a particular skills shortage?

Since then, Valeria Quispe has been working in the at the German Economic Institute (IW). The project is run on behalf of the ‘I was already familiar with the topic of skills shortages from my studies.’ Valeria Quispe’s work at the IW involves her supplying figures and analyses that are important in ongoing debates concerning skills shortages in Germany. This includes her using official statistics from the Federal Employment Agency. She evaluates unemployment figures and the number of notified vacancies. Then she extrapolates the number of professionals that are required in a specific region and in which profession. It’s all about discerning trends – and then making a regular projection.

The current trend in the in Germany indicates a major shortage of construction electricians. Childcare, social work and social education are also experiencing a shortage of professionals. There is a big need for professional drivers – such as lorry drivers or bus drivers. Valeria Quispe knows from her evaluations that the current driver workforce includes many older employees. A major problem will emerge when they reach retirement age. ‘There are similar shortages in many other professions. Including the healthcare sector.’

How could international professionals be better supported?

Quispe describes the skills shortages in care professions as being particularly acute. ‘This requires the introduction of policy initiatives.’ Career changer programmes could be a solution to attracting more care workers. Or even programmes for people without a professional qualification. And recruiting international professionals could of course be an option in covering the need for nursing staff. ‘A quicker professional recognition procedure would be a big help.’ This problem merits much greater attention. The bureaucratic steps should take a lot less time. ‘That would benefit the German economy. People do ultimately want to work.’