The Munich Economic Research Institute said on the 21st that 23.2% of German
firms reported a shortage of qualified skilled workers in July, up from 21.1% in
April but below the long-term average of 31.7%. Shortages intensified in
telecommunications, where firms reporting shortages rose to 31.1% from 16.3% in
April; consulting and auditing firms reporting shortages climbed to 64.7% from
52.4%. In manufacturing 18.7% of firms reported shortages, up 4.5ppt from April.
