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German pools cut opening hours amid lifeguard shortage

People are flocking to Germany's swimming pools to cool down this summer. But a staff shortage is causing problems across the country.

Published: 19 June 2019 12:34 CEST
Updated: 19 June 2019 13:35 CEST
German pools cut opening hours amid lifeguard shortage
A lifeguard at a pool in Berlin. Photo: DPA

With summer in full swing, many people are heading to Germany’s swimming pools to cool down in the heat.

But a shortage of trained lifeguards means some facilities are having to temporarily close their doors or limit opening hours.

It is estimated there are at least 2,500 missing lifeguards at roughly 6,000 pools operated by local authorities or private companies across the country, DPA reported.

“It is a country-wide problem,” said Peter Harzheim, the president of the Federal Association of German Pool Attendants.

At the family and leisure pool in Lahr, the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg, facilities are closed to non-members this season because there isn’t enough specially trained staff.

Skilled worker shortage

So why is there a shortage?

Pay and working hours are not attractive for potential recruits, said Harzheim. A skilled worker who has just finished their apprenticeship would be paid around €1,400 net per month, according to reports.

The problem is also linked to Germany's massive shortage of skilled workers across several industries.

Filling vacancies is difficult today because the baby boomers of the 1950s and 1960s have retired and fewer people are available on the job market. 

It's why the government is changing immigration laws in a bid to attract more foreign workers.

READ ALSO: What Germany's new controversial immigration laws mean for foreign workers

But it's not only about demographics. 

Harzheim believes the mentality has also changed: Many young people are no longer prepared to spend seven days a week at work in the summer.

He pointed out there are some regional differences. In contrast to Baden-Württemberg, for example, a state like North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) can train more people.

That's because many districts in NRW have both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, which is needed for the training.

Problem will 'worsen'

Uwe Lübking, head of labour market policy at the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, said he had noticed a shortage of qualified staff in the sector, a trend that’s also visible in nursing homes which have a lack of care workers.

He suggested it could be down to young people increasingly attending colleges and universities instead of vocational training.

He said so-called “dual training”, where trainees gain practical skills on the job while attending a vocational school, was high on the agenda in Germany, yet “we do not sufficiently promote this form of education”.

Cornelia Herr, association chairman added that the problem was not going to go away and action was needed.

“This is a problem that is likely to worsen in the future,” she said.

Vocabulary

Pool attendant/lifeguard – (der) Bademeister

Dual training – (die) duale Ausbildung

Skilled workers – (die) Facharbeiter

Employees – (die) Angestellte

We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating words in some news stories. Did you find this useful? Let us know.

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions. 

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds. 

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local. 

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with. 

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