Megatrends are shaping the future working environment. Structural change, (de)globalisation, demographics and technological progress are shaping the working world of tomorrow. Demands to the workforce and working conditions are facing massive changes, and societal trends, such as an aging population, shifting preferences within education and new normative ideas of work are showing their effects. Skilled labour shortage in Germany Mismatches between labour supply and labour demand create imbalances on the labour market, likely resulting in unemployment or lack of skilled workers. Shortages of skilled workers can already be seen in certain sectors and regions of Germany, where the current supply of qualified workers does not meet the demand. Demographic change will exacerbate this problem. Conversely, certain sectors in fact have more skilled labour than is needed. The availability of skilled labour as a political challenge It remains a key political challenge to ensure both employment and skilled labour are available. Only a balanced labour market can facilitate growth, prosperity and social inclusion. How will the different areas within the labour market develop? What are the consequences of these developments for associations, trade unions, employment agencies, educational institutions, employers and employees? In which areas are targeted measures most efficient? Complex developments like these require interdisciplinary coping strategies. Prerequisites for this are: Comprehensive technical and methodological expertise in areas such as labour market, education, employment, qualification and human resource management. Work & Skilled Labour: A selection of our services Analyses for the working world of the future We use qualitative and quantitative forecasts as well as scenarios to shed light on the work environments of the future and its effects on the overall economy, on sectors, regions and occupations as well as individual players such as associations, companies, trade unions and educational institutions. Labour market forecasts and model-based scenarios With our skilled labour model, we forecast how the development of supply and demand will evolve as well as the outcomes of measures to secure the availability of skilled workers. Strategy development and implementation planning Our technical expertise from the areas of economics, education and social protection – coupled with our model-based scenarios – underpin not only our approaches on how to avoid shortages of skilled workers, but also our counsel on (political) strategy development and implementation planning. Consulting for employer branding and human resources management Our employer branding strategies and advice on prospective human resource management support employers in the public sector. Our work on this topic Take a look at our latest projects and activities. Technologies to combat the shortage of skilled workers 2025 | Expertise Specialists waste a lot of time on tiresome routine tasks. 3D planning tools or digital twins can help. Our analysis for the Fraunhofer IGD shows which professional groups benefit directly from their digital technologies. Read more Talent Booster Mechanism In Action 18. March 2025 | Event With the ‘Harnessing Talent Platform’, the EU is supporting regions that are most affected by demographic change. The event will present what has been achieved so far and where the regions stand. Prognos is part of the platform and provides support primarily in the area of knowledge generation. Read more Skilled workers for the energy transition 2024 | Project How many laborers and skilled workers will Germany need for the green transformation of its economy? We examined this question on behalf of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Read more Conversion of the automotive industry: How employment is changing 2024 | Project The automotive industry is undergoing fundamental change. How does this effect employment? And what will it mean for the individual professions? We investigated this on behalf of the VDA. Read more The economic and social situation of the creative industries 2024 | Project On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Prognos and partner analysed the economic and social situation of self-employed solo artists in creative professions. Read more Impact of global crises on regional labour markets ongoing | Project A shrinking workforce, digitalisation and decarbonisation: Prognos examines the specific effects of global trends on regional labour markets. Read more Presentation of the study on the economic and social situation in the cultural and creative industries 15. October 2024 | Event The results of our study on the economic and social situation of solo self-employed and hybrid workers in the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) will be presented at the event. Read more Germany Potential Index: Digitalisation to counter the skilled-worker shortage 2024 | Project The skilled-worker shortage is only due to get worse in the future. Our Potential Index shows: Increased digitalisation can help to cushion the negative consequences of the skilled-worker shortage in Germany. Read more Employers’ attractiveness according to parents and carers 2024 | Project Employees want tailor-made reconciliation measures that ensure work-life balance and not to face professional disadvantage as a result of their care work. These were the findings of our study for the BMFSFJ. Read more Study on Poverty and income inequality in the context of the digital transformation 2024 | Project The study for the European Commission examines the impact of digitalisation on the employment situation in the individual member states as well as on the EU economy as a whole. Read more Harnessing Talent Platform: Technical support in progress 2024 | Project update The Harnessing Talent Platform supports selected regions within the EU that are particularly affected by demographic change and the brain drain. The technical support that Prognos is providing in some regions has now been launched with kick-off meetings. Read more Support for the Just Transition Platform 2024 | Project Through the Just Transition Platform (JTP), the EU supports the member states and regions in achieving their climate targets in a fair manner. Prognos provided the JTP with in-depth analyses and knowledge management. Read more The invisible value of care work 2024 | Expertise 72 billion hours: That is how many unpaid care work hours are performed in Germany, annually, by women. In a new paper, we show the value of unpaid care work and how unevenly it is dis-tributed between men and women. Read more Official start: Ten regions receive technical assistance from the EU 2023 | Project update Within the Harnessing Talent Platform, the European Commission has selected ten regions to receive technical assistance for securing skilled workers. Read more Securing skilled workers with the help of the Harnessing Talent Platform ongoing | Project DG Regio's new platform aims to help EU regions develop strategies to attract talent. Prognos is, among other things, leading the knowledge generation. Read more Where does Germany's economy really stand? 2023 | Company news Why it’s time for Germany to take an honest look at itself. A guest commentary in the WirtschaftsWoche by Dr Michael Böhmer. Read more Pension at 63 – Quo vadis? 2023 | Project Retiring at 63 is very popular. In 2021 alone, more than 270,000 people took the option of early retirement. These were the findings of our study for the INSM. Read more In danger: Objectives of the “Ampel-Koalition” 2023 | New project A short new analysis shows to what extent the shortage of skilled workers threatens the central political projects of the Federal Government. Read more Just Transition Platform Conference: Carbon-Intensive Regions 2023-04-27 | Event Stakeholders of the European chemical industry exchange on their activities for a just transition towards climate neutrality. Read more Ecological transformation and the labour market in Schleswig-Holstein ongoing | Project How many specialists will Schleswig-Holstein need to implement its climate protection measures? What are the key professions necessary for successful implementation? Read more Full-day care for primary school children: where the federal states currently stand ongoing | Project Germany needs at least 271,000 additional all-day places for primary school children by the 2026/2027 school year. We are examining how this can be achieved for the Ministry for Family Affairs. Read more Just Transition Platform: Meeting of the Working Group on Chemicals 2022-10-26 | Event At the meeting of the JTP Working Group on Chemicals, proposals will be discussed to help EU regions with a strong chemical industry make a just transition to climate neutrality. Read more No generational conflict: Young and old are primarily looking for security. 2022 | Project Study compares “boomers” and Generation Z: high need for security for young and old alike. Read more The importance of the German economy for the EU 2022 | Project Through intensive trade relations with EU states, the German economy is an important driver of economic development in the EU. Read more Just Transition Platform Meeting: Coal Regions in Transition 2022-05-11 | Event Dr Jan-Philipp Kramer speaks at the fifth Just Transition Platform Meeting. Read more Rhineland-Palatinate Transformation Agency ongoing | Project The Transformation Agency serves as a signpost for the changing world of work. Prognos puts this into action on behalf of the Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs, Transformation and Digitisation. Read more Ecological transformation and dual education in Bremen 2021 | Project What is the demand for professionally trained specialists in Bremen as a business location in light of climate protection measures? Read more Innovation region Central Germany 2040 – Socio-economic perspective 2021 | Project The population in Central Germany is shrinking, aging, and requires increasing levels of care. However, the industries in focus have leverage – especially in cities. Read more Das Bildungsgrundeinkommen – ein Instrument der Weiterbildungsfinanzierung 2021 | Project Das Zentrum Liberale Moderne macht einen Vorschlag, die Weiterbildungsfinanzierung auf neue Grundlagen zu stellen. Prognos hat die Kosten des neuen Instrumentes in einer Studie abgeschätzt. Read more Industries during the pandemic: The pharmaceutical industry is crisis-resistant 2021 | Project The study shows that the pharmaceutical industry makes an important contribution to value creation and employment in Germany and stabilised the state of the German economy during the crisis-related slump in 2020. Read more Jobs in the building sector can cushion pandemic job losses 2021 | Project The study shows how the high demand for skilled workers in the building sector can mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on the labour market. The industry is thus contributing to the stabilisation of the labour market and to the success of the energy transition. Read more General report: Evaluation of the general statutory minimum wage 2020 | Project On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, we evaluated the impact of the statutory minimum wage in Germany since its introduction in 2015. Read more Wage income developments 2025 2020 | Project If German economic productivity increases, not every individual benefits to the same extent. These are the results of our study commissioned by the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Read more Digital transformation in the workplace of the European Chemicals Sector 2019 | Project As part of a social partnership project for the ECEG and industriAll European Trade Union, the study examines the effects of innovation and digital transformation on the workplace in the chemical industry on a Europe-wide scale. Read more Work Landscape 2025 2019 | Project The "Labor Landscape" study series has been providing an overview of the development of labor demand and labor supply in Germany since 2008. Read more Germany Report 2025|2035|2045 2018 | Project Germany will become more global, more digital, greener and older in the next 30 years. This is shown by Prognos Deutschland Report from 2018/2019. Read more Strategies to combat the skilled-worker shortage in nursing care 2018 | Project Which strategies can be used to tackle the shortage of skilled workers in nursing care for the elderly? This question is the subject of a Prognos study commissioned by the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Read more Attracting and retaining skilled workers in early education 2018 | Project By the year 2030 there will be a shortage of around 199,000 educators throughout Germany. This is shown by a Prognos study for the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs. Read more Cost-benefit analysis of family-friendly corporate policy 2010 | Project The model calculation for selected Swiss companies shows that the immediate positive effects of a family-friendly personnel policy outweigh the costs. Read more Do you have questions? Your contact at Prognos Susanne Heinzelmann Partner, Head of Education & Employment View profile Markus Hoch Senior Project Manager View profile Claudia Münch Principal View profile About us Prognos – Providing Orientation. Prognos is one of the oldest economic research centres in Europe. Founded at the University of Basel, Prognos experts have been conducting research for a wide range of clients from the public and private sectors since 1959 – politically independent, scientifically sound. Learn more