Staff shortages hold back German infrastructure projects
A study by the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft points to shortages of planners and skilled technical workers.
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German infrastructure projects are being delayed because companies and public authorities are struggling to find staff. This is according to a study by the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft published on Monday.
According to the study, the shortage concerns not only construction workers, but also people who prepare, design and oversee projects. Technical and planning-related roles in particular are difficult to fill.
The research institute describes the shortage as an obstacle to investment in roads, railways, energy supplies and other infrastructure. As a result, available public funds cannot automatically be converted quickly into new projects.
The researchers point to several causes. Germany has an ageing workforce, while demand for technical expertise is growing as a result of digitalisation, the energy transition and infrastructure expansion.
The study is an analysis of labour-market data, not a measurement of delays to each individual project. The precise consequences therefore vary by federal state, sector and commissioning authority.
For Germany, the shortage means that additional infrastructure funding alone is not enough. Training, international recruitment, faster procedures and better use of existing workers are among the possible solutions identified by the study.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The IW describes staff shortages among those preparing and carrying out infrastructure projects.
- Germany wants to invest in infrastructure.
- The study identifies several possible policy responses.
Left
Arguments Public investment should be linked to decent work, training and access for workers from different groups; simply directing money towards projects will not solve the staffing problem.
Values Equal opportunities, public services and working conditions.
Consequences Without social conditions, additional infrastructure funding could mainly drive up wages and profits without creating enough new capacity.
Centre
Arguments The government should invest and professionalise implementation, with better planning, training and limited but targeted use of international workers.
Values Efficiency, continuity and feasibility.
Consequences A combination of measures could speed up projects, but the effects will only become visible in the medium term.
Right
Arguments Germany should simplify procedures, give businesses room to operate and admit skilled workers from abroad more quickly.
Values Productivity, economic growth and less bureaucracy.
Consequences Faster permits and greater flexibility could increase capacity, but could also put pressure on working conditions.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The analysis is based on a recent study and independent reporting about it. Causal consequences are presented as risks, not established outcomes.
Editor's note
The study and its main conclusion have been confirmed by the research institute and Tagesschau. The study shows a structural risk, not that every project is already delayed.Sources
- Wer baut die Zukunft? Fachkräftemangel als Bremse für Wachstum und Investitionen in Deutschland — Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft
- IW-Studie: Fachkräftemangel bremst Infrastrukturprojekte aus — Tagesschau
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