Demographic change and digital transformation: a huge gap is opening up between supply and demand for engineers in electrical, electronic and information technology. This is the conclusion of the VDE technology association in its new study “ E-Ing 2025: Technologies, the Labor Market, Engineering as a Profession ”, which has been drawn up by the Verband der Elektrotechnik Elektronik Informationstechnik (Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies (VDE)) in association with the Institute for Economic Research in Cologne. According to the study, employment of electrical and electronic engineers is reaching a peak at 393,600, but: “Over the next ten years, significantly more than 100,000 young e-engineers will be needed in Germany than are currently being trained here”, stresses Ansgar Hinz, CEO of the VDE. In 2018 alone, around 10,900 new electrical and electronic engineers are required to replace those who will be retiring.

To improve the outlook, the VDE is urgently recommending the launch of a far-reaching and effective “digital brain gain” education campaign. This includes improving the range of natural science subjects in schools, attracting more young people, particularly women, to degrees in electrical, electronic and information technology, making immigration of qualified specialists from other countries easier, and improving the employment opportunities for older e-engineers.