Berlin, April 27, 2022 – The shortage of skilled workers and the workload in the trades threaten a successful climate and energy transition. The trade union IG Metall and the central associations of the heating, sanitary and air conditioning trades, the electrical and information technology trades, the metal trades and the carpentry and carpentry trades warn of this. With a simultaneous increase in demand, particularly in the area of energy-efficient building refurbishment, there is already a shortage of up to 190,000 skilled workers. The organizations are therefore demanding rapid support from the federal government in order to remedy the shortcomings in the recruitment of skilled workers. The associations represent a total of 169,000 companies with 1.6 million employees.
In particular, a renovation backlog in the 19.2 million residential buildings is threatening the climate targets. Due to the lack of renovation of the building envelope and outdated energy technology, these are responsible for up to 30 percent of the greenhouse gases in Germany. While the federal government is striving for climate neutrality by 2045, it has clearly missed the climate targets for 2020 and 2021 in the building sector. At the same time, the distribution of the transformation costs threatens to aggravate the tense situation socially.
In a joint declaration on energy-efficient building refurbishment, the social partners raise five specific demands, among other things, in order to achieve a turnaround in skilled workers and the climate with active support from politicians:
Immediate program: The federal government is called upon to back up energy efficiency, the decarbonization of the heating networks and a new building energy law with concrete goals and figures. This includes concrete implementation steps and reliable renovation funding. In addition, politicians – as part of their monitoring of the implementation of the climate goals – must also continuously and transparently evaluate the skilled worker situation.
Training and qualification: Vocational schools, competence centers and educational institutions for the skilled trades are already working to the limit in terms of personnel and technology and need better equipment. Politicians must ensure that professional and academic education are of equal value. All vocational training paths deserve a climate of appreciation. This requires an expansion of the promotion BAföG and the exemption from costs for further education and training such as master craftsman training.
Digitization: Optimal, digital ecosystems for networking craftsmen and other stakeholders such as energy consultants, approval authorities and funding bodies are urgently needed for the building services and fit-out trades in order to be able to work together efficiently and interdisciplinary.
Collective bargaining agreement: Securing skilled workers in the trades is particularly successful with good working and training conditions that are secured by collective agreements. In order to ensure fair competition, state-sponsored restructuring measures must therefore be linked to the companies’ collective bargaining agreement.
Industry dialogue: The central associations and IG Metall expect an industry dialogue with politicians in order to reach reliable agreements in terms of securing skilled workers and climate goals.
Statements from the organizations:
Ralf Kutzner, executive board member of IG Metall: “The shortage of skilled workers in the trades is already critical. The energy transition in the building sector can only be mastered with a major training and qualification offensive and a strong collective bargaining agreement.”
Lothar Hellmann, President of the Central Association of German Electrical and Information Technology Trades (ZVEH): “It’s clear to all of us: More and more current-controlled technologies are being used inside buildings and digitization is making massive progress. Qualified electrical and information technology specialists are urgently needed for this.”
Michael Hilpert, President of the Central Association for Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning (ZVSHK): “We support the climate goals of the federal government, but at the same time we say: Without sufficient skilled workers in the climate-relevant trades, it will not work. We need targeted support from politicians to build and secure the necessary human resources.”
Erwin Kostyra, President of the Bundesverband Metall: “The building stock still offers a lot of potential in terms of energy-efficient building renovation. For this task, we urgently need well-trained specialists in the metal trade who understand the complex interaction of the components in a building envelope.”
Thomas Radermacher, President of Tischler Schreiner Germany (Federal Guild Association): “A well-considered investment increases the chance of success. Investing in skilled workers guarantees success.”
Joint declaration of the social partners on energy-efficient building refurbishment