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Why there’s never been a better time to find a job in Berlin

The German capital has long been known for its stagnant job market. But that's changing in Berlin and the whole of former East Germany, new figures show.

Why there's never been a better time to find a job in Berlin
Photo: DPA

“There has been sustained economic growth. The situation is looking good,” said Bernd Becking, head of the employment agency in Berlin and Brandenburg, on Tuesday.

In the German capital and the surrounding state of Brandenburg, there are currently 46,000 jobs available, he pointed out.

“The new year offers many good chances to find work.”

In fact, all the figures for the German capital look positive.

Compared to December 2015, joblessness dropped by 0.9 percent in December 2016 to 9.2 percent.

While that might not look fantastic compared to a national average of 5.8 percent for December, it was the best joblessness rate in the capital since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

And it isn't just the formerly divided capital that can be optimistic about the future. The whole of former East Germany could be on the brink of a job explosion, some experts believe.

“There is about to be an incredible amount of jobs here taken by middle class people. Former East Germany is becoming a region that offers a quick career path,” argues Michael Behr from the employment ministry in Thuringia.

Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created in the past decade in the region between the Baltic and the Ore Mountains. The unemployment rate, once twice as high as in the West, is now a few percentage points above it.

In Thuringia, the leader of the pack of former Eastern German states, joblessness is now lower than in the former Western states of Hamburg, Bremen, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia. In the south of the state, meanwhile, almost no one is out of work.

In all the other states of the former East, the jobless rate is also falling.

But Kay Senius, head of the employment office in Saxony-Anhalt, warns that the numbers mask deeper problems.

“If you just look at the joblessness rate, we’ve had huge success,” he says. “But it would be wrong to conclude that there are no problems. There are big, big risks.”

The biggest problem of all is an aging population. After German reunification, the east German economy imploded and young people moved in droves into the west.

Almost one in three people in employment in the east is now over 50. In Thuringia the number of people of working age will shrink by 29 percent by 2035 if current trends continue.

The question is, can the east attract young people to replace its aging workforce?

Twice as many training positions in the east remain unfilled as in the west, and lower wages remain a deterrent to young graduates looking for jobs, says Senius.

But Behr is optimistic that this is changing.

Wages are rising, promotion opportunities are more plentiful, and above all the east offers a better work life balance, he argues.

“There are better opportunities to put you child into daycare and relatively good chances of buying a house.”

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STUDYING IN GERMANY

What’s it like to study abroad in Berlin?

Picking the right city to study abroad in Germany can be a tricky decision, and there are numerous factors to consider. Freya Jones shares her experience of doing a year abroad in the capital and explains why Berlin could also be the right choice for you.

What's it like to study abroad in Berlin?

Five months after moving to Berlin for my year abroad (a compulsory part of my German degree from the UK) the German capital is certainly a destination I’d recommend. 

Although it’s less “traditionally German” than many other corners of the country, and simultaneously more comparable to the blanket big city experience worldwide, Berlin’s unique history and culture make it a great place to explore – and unsurprisingly very popular with international students. 

Like all capitals, it has its pros and cons, so here’s what stood out to me during my experience so far.

Arrival

You’ve probably heard horror stories about the Berlin housing market, and from experience I can say they’re largely true. Finding an apartment here before moving to the city is notoriously difficult, and more expensive than in other parts of Germany. 

What you should bear in mind, however, is that unlike other German cities, Berlin doesn’t impose fines if you’re unable to secure a registration appointment within two weeks of arrival (three months if you already have a visa). This makes searching for a good WG, Studentenwerk, or other rental far easier post-arrival if your first stop is a homestay or somewhere else temporary. 

Blocks of rental flats in Berlin.

Blocks of rental flats in Berlin. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Monika Skolimowska

Despite a recent wave of strikes and construction work, transport links in Berlin are still very strong. If you’re enrolled as a student during your year abroad, you’ll be entitled to a discounted pass for city transport, including a number of tram, bus and train options that run all the way to the city’s outskirts and even into Brandenburg (Zone C).

What’s more, direct trains from Berlin’s BER Airport make it more accessible than more remote locations in Germany when you arrive equipped with a year’s worth of luggage.

English

My German tutors in the UK were slightly concerned when I chose Berlin, because they didn’t think I’d have much opportunity to practise my German. Looking back, this worry wasn’t without cause, and if your primary goal is German language improvement, it may be worth considering somewhere more rural or less international. 

Unlike small towns I’ve visited elsewhere in Germany, where many people speak little to no English, it’s everywhere in Berlin. Because the international population is so large, new friends from any country are likely to speak it by default.

However, this can obviously be mitigated by signing up for German-only university classes, as I’ve done as an exchange student at Humboldt University, or finding a German language job. And on the flip side, if you’re here to study a discipline other than German, the ubiquity of English in Berlin has you covered.

READ ALSO: The top German cities for international students in 2024

Cultural Experiences

Unsurprisingly, Berlin offers no end of unique cultural experiences. For new arrivals, there’s plenty to fill your time with, and I’d really recommend “playing the tourist” for a couple of weeks while you settle in. 

Bucket-list locations include the National Gallery and museums on Museuminsel, the Berlin Wall memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the site of the Berlin airlift at Tempelhof. And beyond this, there’s never a shortage of things to do – walks around Tiergarten and the customary Sunday flea markets (Flohmarkt am Mauerpark being the most famous) are popular with visitors and locals alike.

A skateboarder performs tricks on Tempelhofer Feld

A skateboarder performs tricks on a former runway at Berlin’s Tempelhofer Feld, a popular meeting place in Berlin-Neukölln. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Soeder

Something I’ve also really enjoyed after being here for a while is noticing the small details which differentiate the former East and West Berlin sectors, such as different traffic lights and types of transport. While much of the architecture is admittedly stark, grey and not as pretty as other parts of Germany, the way in which present-day Berlin is a visible product of its recent history makes it a fascinating place to live.

READ ALSO: How do I get a student visa for Germany and what does it let me do?

Pros & Cons

Any culture shock inevitably comes with both positives and negatives, and these are a few which particularly struck me after moving to Berlin from the UK. 

Cons: many shops refuse to take card payment and only accept cash; all shops and supermarkets close on Sundays; there’s no guarantee of being let into a club or bar on a night out, and the traffic lights genuinely seem to conspire against drivers and pedestrians alike. (Also, the weather in winter really will destroy your soul, and this is a Brit talking…)

Pros: the quality of food is much better here than in the UK, and cheaper; the cost of alcohol is much lower; public transport is cheaper and more efficient than in London; work-life balance and mental wellbeing are taken very seriously; and finally, there’s a far less visible “class system” than in the UK, possibly due to the greater access and affordability of German universities.  (This is really nice, especially if you’re coming from a UK university where socio-economic prejudice is very common.)

READ ALSO: How to stay in Germany after graduating from a German university

Overall, Berlin has been a vibrant place to spend my exchange semester. Not only has it given me insights into the most significant shifts in recent German history, but it also offers the archetypal experience of living in a bustling, multicultural city. So while it’s distinctly different to anywhere else in Germany you might be considering, the variety of things to see and do in Berlin will keep you engaged for your full year abroad.

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