Hessian chemical industry trains more
The Hessian chemical and pharmaceutical industry is training more young people. Companies have increased the number of apprenticeships on offer this year by a good 16 percent to 1694, the employers' association HessenChemie and the IG BCE trade union announced in Wiesbaden on Monday. The figure is the highest since the collective agreement on training came into force exactly 20 years ago, said Jürgen Funk, Managing Director for Training at the employers' association.
The companies were responding to demographic developments and the shortage of skilled workers, he said. Over the next few years, many employees will be retiring. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find skilled workers. As of September 1, around 11 percent of apprenticeships in the chemical industry remained unfilled. This is also due to the coronavirus crisis: during the pandemic, there was no career guidance at many schools and offers such as internships, training fairs and open days were canceled.
With a view to the 2024 training year, some companies are still holding back. 73% planned to keep their number of training places constant and 15% to increase it. In contrast, 12% were expecting a lower number, probably also due to the difficult economic situation in the sector, according to the association and IG BCE.
The surge in apprenticeships in the Hessian chemistry sector is not only limited to the current year, with some companies also planning to increase training placements in the 2024 training year. This expanded focus on education in the pharmaceutical industry is crucial, as a significant portion of the workforce is expected to retire in the coming years, leading to a potential shortage of skilled workers.
Source: www.dpa.com
