ALBSC has been representing about 260 municipal employees from technical services for the past eight years. At the moment, individual administrations compete with each other over the small number of qualified engineers in the country, which becomes increasingly problematic in light of planned housing projects.
To create more living space, new general and specified building plans are needed across the country. This means that municipalities have to rely on expert advise from qualified town planners and architects to make new arrangements and meet the demands of the growing population.
Close to 350 engineers with a bachelor degree and about 200 with a master degree are working in local administrations. In conversation with RTL, Meyers underlined that this number is far too small given that there are always between 15 and 20% open positions. Every weekend, three to five jobs are advertised in newspapers, with engineers being the most sought-after position.
Various developments affect the shortage of qualified employees. The country’s population keeps on growing, while interest in municipal work seems to be on the decline despite elevated salaries. At the moment, administrations mostly rely on foreign recruits from the border region.
