Labour shortages impact print industry

Messe Düsseldorf, the organizer of drupa 2024, has confirmed that recruiting will be a major topic at this year’s exhibition, as the industry battles the shortage of skilled workers.

According to drupa, the print industry in Germany counts a total of 8,700 trainees. But the training and skilled labor situation is placing increased pressure on this sector with a workforce totaling 110,00 employees. Some 75 percent of the industry’s 7,000 companies state they are facing major challenges due to skilled labor shortages.

According to a study recently published by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, nearly one in two companies lack suitable skilled staff. At present, this is the biggest challenge  – even ranking ahead of increased energy prices and bureaucratic burdens.

For the study the company conducted a representative poll of the views of 700 firms. The Heidelberg-based company sees automation and digitalization as solutions to the staff shortages in print shops. In this way jobs can be made more technical and more attractive for workers.

The ‘drupa next age’ special forum will be all about the industry’s genetic code – ‘drupa dna’. This forum is a port of call for start-ups and innovative young as well as long-established companies.

Here, the Stuttgart Media University jointly with the International Circle of Educational Institutes for Graphic Media Technology and Management, will provide a point of contact for alumni, students and trainees alike. Potential junior staff and students will be given the opportunity to talk to the employers of the future and get to know draft concepts and best-practice cases.

Numerous initiatives promote careers in the print industry and support companies in raising greater awareness about professions and job profiles in the sector. The German federal associations organized in the BVDM (German Association Print and Media), for example, have initiated training videos that let trainees in the field of media technology, print, screen printing and print processing as well as digital and print media designers have a say.

Likewise, the Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (VDMA) launched the Talentmaschine/Talent Machine campaign in April, designed to get young people interested in technologies and careers in machinery and equipment building.

drupa will also see the Fachverband Medienproduktion (FMP) celebrate the premiere of its industry initiative WE.ARE.PRINT. This is a platform for the print and media industries based on partnership, networking and talent promotion. 

Sabine Geldermann, project director print technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, said: ‘drupa offers print service providers and their upstream suppliers the unique opportunity to showcase the future of the industry, thereby selectively reaching out to skilled labor and young talent. I am convinced that more and more young people will be attracted by this innovative industry in future and will want to enter a profession in the print industry.’