Skilled labour shortage in Baden-Württemberg manufacturing
Skilled labour shortage in Baden-Württemberg manufacturing stood at 12.8% in Q2 2026, according to Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Eurostat and KfW Research / ifo Institute. It is one of the indicators in the Job vacancies and skilled labour shortage table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1991 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Job vacancies and skilled labour shortage table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | |||||||||||
| Baden-Württemberg | 12.8 | 12.5 | 13.8 | 17.8 | 17 | 16.3 | 16.8 | 24.3 | 21.5 | 23.7 | |
| Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland | 12.5 | 14.2 | 12.2 | 15.5 | 12 | 13.5 | 18.9 | 17.3 | 19 | 23.6 |
Understanding skilled labour shortage in Baden-Württemberg manufacturing
Factory operators based in Baden-Württemberg indicate through this reading whether recruitment obstacles for qualified technical personnel restrict productive output. The series covers manufacturing plants within state borders, capturing precision engineering shops, automotive suppliers, machinery producers, and industrial hardware makers. It separates factory production from local trading firms and service providers, while establishing a distinct regional benchmark against manufacturing in neighbouring states. Positions requiring little or no formal qualification are excluded, keeping the focus on certified technicians, toolmakers, mechatronics specialists, and industrial engineers. Facilities that experience hiring delays but maintain planned assembly lines without output losses do not register in the metric.
Global supply chain shifts and collective industrial holiday breaks heavily influence the operational realities of Baden-Württemberg factories. Contrasting figures against the equivalent quarter of the previous year prevents distortions caused by seasonal holiday shutdowns and summer factory breaks. Consecutive quarter-on-quarter variations can reflect short-term swings in overseas shipments rather than fundamental changes in the skilled workforce. The survey releases are final and not subject to backward statistical revisions. Analysts must avoid the trap of interpreting a lower hampered share as a sign of successful hiring; a drop in incoming factory orders can quickly remove labour as the primary impediment to production. Furthermore, this measure gauges operational disruption rather than the total tally of open manufacturing posts recorded by official labour offices.
Frequently asked questions
- Which types of manufacturing enterprises are surveyed in Baden-Württemberg?
- The sample includes industrial producers of motor vehicle parts, specialised industrial machinery, electronics, and precision metal goods located within the state.
- Why does an export slump reduce the share of hampered manufacturing plants?
- When foreign orders decline, production requirements fall, allowing existing factory staffing levels to satisfy demand without triggering operational bottlenecks.
- How does this indicator differ from administrative vacancy figures in Baden-Württemberg?
- Administrative counts record the numerical total of open positions, whereas this metric captures only whether staffing deficits actively constrain factory output.