In the Absence of Support From Any Quarter
In the picturesque town of Hand, Germany, the Mill Bakery continues to grind grain by hand, offering popular organic whole grain breads. However, like many artisanal bakeries across the country, it faces a significant challenge: a lack of skilled workers.
Falco Langwisch, a trained baker at the Mill Bakery, meticulously weighs dough pieces and presses them into a grain mixture, ensuring each loaf is perfect. His colleague, Marius Petrucha, has been baking rolls, pastries, and bread since three o'clock in the morning, a testament to the dedication required in this traditional craft. Mustag Al-Yasiri, with a decade of service, is the longest-serving employee. He came to Germany as a refugee from Iraq in 2015 and started an internship at the mill bakery just three months later.
The Mill Bakery's commitment to traditional methods, grinding their own grain in five different mills, is a practice once seen as a sign of quality. However, the lack of skilled workers threatens the viability of such bakeries, causing difficulties in maintaining high-quality artisan products, consistent production, and business growth.
Germany is currently experiencing a significant shortage of skilled workers, with over 1.2 million open positions each year, about 60% of which require skilled labour across various sectors, including skilled trades and craftsmanship. This shortage threatens the survival of small, artisanal bakeries like the Mill Bakery, leading to understaffing, reduced opening hours, longer wait times, or diminished product variety and quality.
Efforts to address the skilled worker shortage in the baking sector include targeted recruitment of skilled workers from abroad, the use of advanced technology and innovation, improved training, and vocational initiatives. German agencies are actively recruiting skilled tradespeople and trainees from regions like Southeast Asia, with selection and intensive integration support. The bakery industry is also adopting smarter manufacturing techniques, including AI-assisted production and intelligent ovens, to optimise production with fewer skilled workers.
Promoting the baking trade and apprenticeship programs is crucial to replenish skilled labour in bakeries. Germany traditionally supports artisanal trades through vocational training, and expanding apprenticeship programs and making the trade more attractive to younger generations is essential to sustain the artisanal bakery sector's craftsmanship and economic viability.
Despite these efforts, the Mill Bakery has had to reduce its production by half and only bakes on three days a week. Bakery owner Andreas Scherbarth warns that if the situation doesn't improve, he may be forced to close the bakery. The consequence of this development is a decrease in craft bakeries in Germany, with the number falling from 14,000 in 2012 to 9,000.
Anyone who has ever tried to bake bread at home knows that it's not easy to make a loaf with the same consistency as the baker's. The Mill Bakery's continued existence is a testament to the dedication and skill of its workers, who strive to maintain the craftsmanship of good bread amidst the challenges posed by the skilled worker shortage.
- The Mill Bakery's team, including Falco Langwisch, Marius Petrucha, and Mustag Al-Yasiri, demonstrate their dedication and skill in the field of food-and-drink, particularly in the art of baking.
- The lack of skilled workers, a prevalent issue in the business sector across Germany, threatens the future of artisanal bakeries like the Mill Bakery, affecting both their lifestyle and financial stability.
- Addressing the skilled worker shortage in the baking sector requires a multifaceted approach, including targeted recruitment, advanced technology, improved training, and vocational initiatives, aiming to enhance careers in the food-and-drink industry and secure the future of artisanal businesses.
