"Making a Virtue of Necessity": Substitution Potentials in the Face of the Shortage of Skilled Workers - Ways to a Sustainable Future Using the Example of the German Vocational Training System

Context: Germany is particularly affected by an increasing shortage of skilled workers. At the same time, there is a so-called "hidden reserve" of workers whose activation could be very helpful for the German labor market. 
Approach: The article shows whether and to what extent reforms of the German vocational training system can contribute to the activation of this "hidden reserve".           
Findings: To this end, the article estimates the size of the heterogeneous, untapped workforce potential and brings the different stakeholder groups in connection with concrete vocational training needs and reform proposals.    
Key message: To activate the “hidden reserve” for the labour market, a trend reversal of the state further training strategies pursued in the vocational training system in Germany seems urgently necessary. One possible solution would be to offer effective qualification measures that are as targeted and tailor-made as possible for the extremely difficult and heterogeneous target groups considered here.