The skills deficit myth: the securing of engineering and science skills in Germany requires a strategic re-orientation in industrial training portfolios

Bernd Kriegesmann, Marcus Kottmann and Frank Striewe

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2010, vol. 10, issue 4, 380-394

Abstract: A Boston Consulting Group study at American enterprises comes to the conclusion that "German academic engineering education is considered as worldwide leading" (BCG, 2007). Nevertheless, recruiting of young engineers remains a big problem not only in Germany, but in most European countries and the USA (IEEE, 2007). The findings of the present paper point out that only the existing training systems in Germany are not sufficient to meet the effects of demographic changes and the changing demands on technical and high level personnel of the future. From our point of view, it is advantageous to combine work-based industrial trainings with academic studies in order to remain competitive. We have analysed reasons for the current skills deficit, worked out guidelines – by means of case studies – how enterprises and universities can cooperate in their endeavours to secure recruitment of young engineers and discussed possible problems of implementation in practice.

Keywords: Germany; work-based training; human resources strategy; engineering workforce; business-academic co-education; innovation; recruitment; skills deficit; engineering skills; science skills; industrial training; engineering education; HRD; human resources development. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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