The Office for University and Trade Union Co-operation, together with the DGB Oldenburg-Ostfriesland, has produced the study "Skilled labour shortages in the north-west: extent, causes, strategies", funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation.

In the study, authors Felix Bernshausen and Dr Uwe Kröcher examine the skills shortages in East Frisia, Emsland and Oldenburg. To do this, they selected twelve occupational groups of particular importance, such as agriculture, catering and nursing. They then analysed these with regard to six indicators such as the unemployment rate and pay trends. This was based on regionalised data from the Federal Employment Agency's skilled labour shortage analysis.

The most important result: there is currently no general labour shortage in the northwest, but there are specific shortages of skilled workers in some occupational groups.

Click here for the short and long versions of the study.