Automation – a way out of the labour shortage?

The labor shortage in Thuringia has become increasingly acute in recent years and poses considerable challenges for the regional economy. According to the Thuringian skilled labor study "Challenges and opportunities in demographic change", around 385,000 workers are expected to retire from the labor market by 2035.

This will further exacerbate the existing shortage of qualified specialists and will affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Thuringia in particular, slowing down their growth and innovation. Many jobs are already unfilled in the long term. The need to replace workers far exceeds the need for expansion. The manufacturing industry and the healthcare sector are particularly affected by the shortage of skilled workers.

"In view of the existing shortage of skilled workers, the Thuringian Centre for Mechanical Engineering (ThZM) conducted a survey among companies in the manufacturing industry and related service providers in September 2024 to gain detailed insights into the current situation," reports Dr. Andreas Patschger, Head of the ThZM Coordination Office. In the anonymous survey, questions were asked about company data, the labor shortage situation, obstacles and measures as well as technologies used. 40 companies took part in the survey and provided valuable insights.

Counteracting the skills shortage with automation solutions

Over 80% of the companies surveyed rate the current labor situation as urgent or very urgent. More than 90 percent of the companies even rate their development as negative to existentially threatening without a solution to the problem. The shortage of employees with medium and high qualification levels, such as skilled workers, engineers or IT specialists, is particularly critical.

The shortage of skilled workers also increases the need for automation in Thuringian SMEs. Many companies see great potential in the areas of production processes, work preparation and administration to make processes more efficient and partially compensate for the shortage of personnel. Process automation and digitalization, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics/cobotics are seen as key levers for reducing dependence on qualified personnel and optimizing production processes.

In order to support automation solutions in SMEs, the Thuringian Center for Mechanical Engineering is planning to set up a ZIM network (Central Innovation Program for SMEs). "Such a network promotes cooperation and the exchange of knowledge between companies and research institutions," explains Dr. Patschger, "it also provides access to specialized expertise and new technologies and accelerates development processes and market launches."

Companies interested in collaborating with the Thuringian Center for Mechanical Engineering are welcome to contact Dr. Andreas Patschger from the ThZM coordination office at TU Ilmenau: info@maschinenbau-thueringen.de.

About the Thuringian Center for Mechanical Engineering (ThZM)

The Thuringian Center for Mechanical Engineering (ThZM) is a project launched in 2013 by five research institutions in Thuringia: Ilmenau University of Technology, Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena, Gesellschaft für Fertigungstechnik und Entwicklung e. V. (GFE) and Günter-Köhler-Institut für Fügetechnik und Werkstoffprüfung GmbH (ifw). It is an innovation partner for the manufacturing industry in the application of modern production and mechanical engineering technologies. With its expertise, the ThZM supports industrial companies throughout the entire process and production chain and provides competent cooperation partners for solving their development tasks.