Companies in the technical sector face a significant challenge. There is a shortage of qualified employees. And it is difficult to see where the workforce will come from when you look at the demographic development.
Today, 21 percent of Danes are over 65. In the Zealand region, the figure is 22 percent. This causes concern for TEKNIQ Employers, who among other things represent a large part of the Danish electricity and plumbing companies:
Absolutely necessary
– Both now and in the future, we face challenges with manpower at the same time as the population is getting older. It is absolutely necessary that you find the right solutions so that there are technical employees to bring the green future to life, says Tomas Kudsk, chairman of TEKNIQ’s regional council in Zealand, in a press release.
Demand is increasing
An analysis by Concito and Mandag Morgen shows that the demand for labor in the installation industry will only increase towards 2030. That trend is also evident in the TEKNIQ Employers’ member survey, where 47 percent of companies expect it to be as difficult as today to recruit employees, while 23 percent believe that it will be even more difficult to recruit in the next two years.
Today, for example, there are only 200 unemployed electricians in the whole of Denmark. According to TEKNIQ Employers, a third of the installation companies have unsuccessfully tried to recruit labor within the past month.
Will need 500 employees for the Fehmarn project
This could prove to be a major challenge for the Fehmarn project. The Spanish engineering consortium FSC (Femern Sice Cobra), which will be responsible for the installations in the tunnel, has previously said that they will need around 500 employees for the electrical and plumbing work.
Fehmarn Agency, which is Lolland Municipality’s “advanced job center” at the Fehmarn project, is one of the players that is set to solve the problem. Here, however, the leader, Per Bech Grønning, is still hopeful:
– Overall, we do not have major challenges, because the project (Femerntunnel, ed.) is still an interesting place to work, but our task is of course greater when a subcontractor wants 20 – 30 people with special skills, Per Bech Grønning tells FehmarnReport.
Does not go away by itself
However, the tone is not quite so optimistic at TEKNIQ Employers:
– It is crucial to recognize that the challenge will not disappear by itself. Although activity in the construction industry and the metal industry is slowing down, it is not sufficient to remedy the large backlog of qualified employees. Therefore, a combination of political support is needed, that technical subjects and educations are promoted, as well as a willingness from all sides to think outside the box, says Tomas Kudsk in the press release from TEKNIQ Employers.
FemernReport has asked the FSC consortium to deal with the problem, but they have not wanted to participate in this article.
