INTERVIEW
and continuing education center at the Schieder site. The job
profiles of skilled workers have also changed dramatically, and
there cannot be a stagnation of theory and practice. These
need continual training.
Think, for example, of the lathes on which people
performed mainly manual work 20 years ago. Today, in the
age of increasing digitalization, computers must be operated
skillfully. But if something goes wrong, for example if a
gearbox has to be changed, then it still comes down to skilled
hands. We have to accommodate for this. And this is what we
teach in our ultra-modern training workshop.
And then, those born in the 1960s, the years with the most
births, will retire. The contraceptive pill was introduced in
the late 1960s; before then, an average German family had
3.8 children, and after that there were just 1.2 children per
family. This will not be a slow, analogous change. The lack of
skilled workers will be dramatic; it will be a digital demolition.
We are not Microsoft
And we are also not Microsoft or Porsche or BMW, and we are
not based in major cities such as Munich or Stuttgart. Our
products are concealed within machines and equipment, so
end consumers will never be impressed if we change colors
or develop a bold design. We do not even have a presence in
hardware stores. And on top of this, our headquarters are in
Blomberg, for example. The “World Metropolis”, Blomberg.
We know all of this, and have for a long time. So what can
we do? We have to make a name for ourselves as being a very
good employer. Since 1994, we have also been working to
build our reputation in this field as well. At the beginning, I
was ridiculed by everybody because of my commitment to this.
Top Job, Best Place to Work, Kununu – we are now regarded as
a top employer far beyond our national borders. We have built
up a true brand name in our target groups, regardless of how
well known our products are. It has been a long journey. But
it was worth it.
In the last 20 years, we have been Germany’s best employer
11 times, achieved second place nine times, and reached third
place six times. In terms of key figures such as page views,
satisfaction levels, and staff turnover, we are in the top group
– ahead of industry giants such as Microsoft and Siemens.
è The baby boomer generation are today looking
almost enviously at the coming generations, because
while everything was scarce for those born before 1969
– school, training, studies, professions – future graduates
can practically choose their jobs. How are you responding
to this demographic change, the increasingly noticeable
shortage of young people?
We were already aware of this upcoming demographic change
– the retirement of the baby boomer generation from active
working life – 20 years ago. It is only now that it is becoming
more and more visible to the public. But the current shortage
of skilled workers is still nothing to worry about yet. From
2000 to today, 2020, we have seen a drop in skilled workers
of around seven percent. By 2030, this will be 20 percent.
“We have to make a name
for ourselves as being a
very good employer.”
Professor Dr. Gunther Olesch
38
UPDATE 5/20
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