| M | Mathematics |
| I | Information Technology |
| N | Natural Sciences |
| T | Technology |
The term MINT covers training, education and studies in the area of Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences and Technology. Admittedly, these are not the easiest or most popular courses. These specialised qualifications are all the more popular with German companies - and the demand for them will continue to rise.
Whereas a career in management was an option for only a small number of holders of the above-mentioned qualifications in the first half of last century, many members of these groups have meanwhile developed greatly out of the environment of laboratories, design departments and institutes and have obviously won positions in the boardroom as well as in departmental and company management. At the same time, technically-qualified individuals are meanwhile occupying positions which were formerly traditionally known as commercial positions. Engineers and scientists are, as is to be expected, now working in Sales, Marketing, Product Management and even in Human Resource Management. This shows the amount of potential harboured by a qualification in the above-mentioned areas, if the person in question also has personal skills and is suited to a management position.
That has, however, so far failed to make the “MINT” courses more attractive. In particular, the proportion of women on these courses of studies has doggedly remained at between 5% and 10% for years, despite a series of initiatives. This means that German industry is short of between 50,000 and 60,000 people, even in the period of weak economy, and even more in the current economic situation. If Germany wishes to retain and expand its position as a leading industrial nation, its recovering trade sector lacks around another 50,000 people with a technical/scientific qualification. The effect of demographics produces an additional intensification of the situation in that the number of those entering retirement in the next 20 years will continue to increase whereas the number of those entering the workforce will continue to decline. At the same time, there continues to be indications of a trend towards the service sector, with whom industrial companies are competing for highly-qualified people. In the long term, there will be an increased need for people with higher qualifications in almost all specialisations.
This gap in numbers cannot be closed by short-term measures. In order, however, to maintain the competitiveness of German firms at a high level, education organisations and industry must collaborate closely, so that more people can be brought into technical careers. Companies are called upon to use this sparse resource more efficiently, to akquire it and to retain it for the long term.
Our company's consulting process begins in this precise area. Talk to us about recruiting, retaining and developing human resources as well as optimising their use.
Gerald Anschütz is holding a series of talks on the topic of "Ways to recruit and retain staff“, as part of customer events for a major German bank.
You can obtain more information on this topic by clicking the link.
www.komm-mach-mint.de
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