A skills shortage (Fachkräftemangel) describes a situation where there are not enough suitably qualified candidates on the labour market for specific occupations or qualifications. The German Federal Employment Agency regularly publishes shortage analyses; affected fields include care, early-childhood education, the trades, IT, social work, construction planning and teaching.
Causes are complex: demographic change, declining birth rates, long training paths in regulated professions, uneven regional distribution and shifting expectations of employers. International competition, brain drain and growing demand from digitalisation and the energy transition add to the picture.
For candidates, a skills shortage is an opportunity: those with the right qualifications can often choose between multiple roles, negotiate higher pay and better conditions, and select employers with strong values. Career changes are eased in many shortage occupations.
Lunigi addresses exactly this market – curated roles from education, public service, social work and care, where demand is structurally high.