The energy transition faces an acute shortage of skilled workers
The current energy crisis has drawn public attention to the obsolescence of fossil fuel-based energy and the risks associated with energy dependency. Against this background, the desire for a green energy transition has increased.
However, this transition is hampered by the shortage of qualified professionals in Luxembourg. Even finding a single specialist who can install a heat pump or solar panels and has time in his schedule to do it is a challenge.
So, the director of the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts, Tom Wirion, comments on the situation: “We are seeing a trend where the construction sector is most in need of labor.” According to a study by the Chamber, the Grand Duchy will need to find around 1700 skilled workers over the next 12 months to meet customer demand.
“It is difficult to find qualified people — this is typical for the entire construction sector,” confirms the representative of the French-Luxembourg company BKI. Thus, due to lack of staff and difficulties in accessing the materials, the execution of a contract that would have been completed in 6 months may take 8.
However, industry representatives see several solutions to the current situation. In the long term, it is necessary to change the education system, making manual labor and craft professions more attractive, as well as develop a strategy for retaining staff.
Where to find 1700 skilled workers?
As for the short-term goals, namely to attract 1700 skilled workers in the next 12 months, the most obvious solution is to open the market of the Grand Duchy to third-country nationals.
“You won’t find these 1700 workers in Luxembourg alone,” says Tom Wirion. “We have been talking about this for several years — without any results. The criteria for access to the labor market should be simplified for third-country nationals. This means that for jobs that are understaffed, the system needs to be simplified.” Possible ways to do this were published by the Chamber back in 2019, but nothing came of it.
Last week we wrote that many Luxembourg companies are increasingly relying on workers from abroad. But hiring in neighboring regions can no longer cover the current needs of the labor market. However, those who hire people outside the EU face a number of difficulties.
