Berlin, April 27, 2022 – The shortage of skilled workers and the high workload in the skilled trades threaten a successful climate and energy transition. This warning comes from the IG Metall union and the central associations representing the heating, plumbing, and HVAC trades; the electrical and information technology trades; the metalworking trades; and the carpentry and joinery trades. With demand growing at the same time—particularly in energy-efficient building retrofits—there is already a shortage of up to 190,000 skilled workers. The organizations are therefore calling on the federal government to provide swift support to address the shortcomings in recruiting skilled workers. The associations represent a total of 169,000 businesses with 1.6 million employees.
In particular, a backlog of renovation work on the 19.2 million residential buildings threatens climate targets. Due to a lack of renovation of building envelopes and outdated energy technology, these buildings are responsible for up to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. While the federal government aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2045, it has significantly missed its 2020 and 2021 climate targets in the building sector. At the same time, the distribution of transformation costs threatens to exacerbate the already tense social situation.
In a joint statement on energy-efficient building retrofits, the social partners set forth, among other things, five specific demands to achieve a skilled-labor and climate transition with active political support:
- Emergency Action Plan: The federal government is called upon to establish concrete targets and figures for energy efficiency, the decarbonization of heating networks, and a new Building Energy Act. This includes specific implementation steps and reliable renovation subsidies. Furthermore, policymakers must—as part of their monitoring of climate goal implementation—continuously and transparently assess the skilled labor situation.
- Training and Qualification: Vocational schools, centers of excellence, and educational institutions in the skilled trades are already operating at full capacity in terms of both personnel and technology and need better equipment. Policymakers must ensure that vocational and academic education are treated as equals. All vocational education pathways deserve a climate of appreciation. This requires an expansion of the “Aufstiegs-BAföG” (upward mobility grant) and the waiver of costs for continuing education and training, such as master craftsman training.
- Digitalization: Optimal digital ecosystems are urgently needed for the building services and finishing trades to connect tradespeople with other stakeholders—such as energy consultants, permitting authorities, and funding agencies—so they can collaborate efficiently and across disciplines.
- Collective Bargaining Agreements: Securing a skilled workforce in the skilled trades is achieved in particular through good working and training conditions that are guaranteed by collective bargaining agreements. State-subsidized renovation measures must therefore be linked to companies’ adherence to collective bargaining agreements to ensure fair competition.
- Industry dialogue: The central trade associations and IG Metall expect an industry dialogue with policymakers to reach robust agreements aimed at securing a skilled workforce and meeting climate goals.
Statements from the organizations:
Ralf Kutzner, Executive Board Member of IG Metall:
“The shortage of skilled workers in the skilled trades is already critical. Only through a major training and qualification initiative, combined with strong collective bargaining coverage, can the energy transition in the building sector be successfully managed.”
Lothar Hellmann, President of the Central Association of German Electrical and Information Technology Trades (ZVEH):
“It’s becoming clear to all of us: More and more electrically powered technologies are being used inside buildings, and digitalization is advancing at a rapid pace. This urgently requires qualified electrical and information technology specialists.”
Michael Hilpert, President of the Central Association for Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning (ZVSHK):
“We support the federal government’s climate goals, but at the same time we must emphasize: It won’t be possible without sufficient skilled workers in the climate-relevant trades. We need targeted support from policymakers to build and secure the necessary workforce capacity.”
Erwin Kostyra, President of the Federal Metalworkers’ Association:
“The existing building stock still offers a great deal of potential for energy-efficient building retrofits. To tackle this challenge, we urgently need well-trained skilled workers in the metalworking trades who understand the complex interplay of components within a building envelope.”
Thomas Radermacher, President of Tischler Schreiner Deutschland (Federal Guild Association):
“A well-considered investment increases the chances of success. Investing in skilled workers guarantees success.”
Joint Statement by the Social Partners on Energy-Efficient Building Renovation
