Create a handmade item. - Greatest count of chimney cleaners.
Stephan Langer, a master craftsman in Lower Saxony, recently shared insight on the current state of chimney sweeps in the region. Unlike other federal states, chimney sweeps in Lower Saxony are not experiencing a shortage of skilled workers. "We're actually experiencing a peak in the number of workers in the chimney sweeping trade in Lower Saxony," he said.
How did they manage to avoid this issue? Langer reveals that they've been implementing measures for over a decade to prevent such a shortage. These include establishing a training fund where all companies contribute, which is then used to support and help train newcomers. In addition, they developed a campaign called "Join the Black Team" to promote apprenticeships in their industry alongside a marketing agency. This campaign seems to have resonated with more and more federal states.
There are approximately 860 master chimney sweep craftsmen in Lower Saxony at present, but the number of successful master craftsman examinations has risen to stand between 250 to 310 per year - quite the increase from the 200 recorded in 2015. Despite these positive developments, Langer identifies another challenge on the horizon. "We're witnessing the biggest transformation of the last 50 years in the direction of 'climate jobs'," he said. To prepare for this energy transition, the company's training courses have undergone some alterations, and the examination of heat pumps will now be included in their training plans.
