What professions are in demand in Germany? Are they well paid? These questions concern everyone who plans to build a career in Germany. In our article we will tell you who a foreign specialist can work in Germany and explain why they are so necessary for one of the leading economies in Europe.
The most in-demand professions in Germany
Germany is a country with a growing level of digitalization, a developing technology sector and a rapidly aging population. That is why there is a great demand in the country for professionals in the fields of information technology and engineering, as well as medicine and care for the elderly.
In addition, climate and environmental protection have been the focus of policymakers and society for many years. That is why Germany is actively hiring biological and environmental engineers.
Germany is also seeing an increase in work-from-home vacancies, most of which are also in the IT sector. It is this area that will most often offer you an interesting and well-paid activity with excellent prospects. However, it is important to understand that a wide variety of specialists have prospects in the German labor market, and some in-demand and well-paid professions do not even require a higher education diploma.
What professions are gaining popularity?
1. IT and online sector
App stores, online stores, work from home – with the increasing use of digital products and services and daily access to the Internet, the demand for jobs in the online sector is growing rapidly. Among them are not only IT specialists, but also website and application designers, as well as online marketing and PR specialists.
Another important branch of the online sector is content creation, which also requires competent specialists who can collect information about user requests and draw up content plans.
Another extremely promising area of the IT sector is Data Science. Specialists in this field collect important data for the company, analyze it and develop strategies to improve business efficiency. Of course, all IT professions are in great demand in Germany and are paid very well. The average income of an IT specialist is about 50,000 euros gross per year. Below is a table showing the average annual income of various IT specialists in 2023:
UX/UI specialist – 41,610 euros
Website developer – 46,100 euros
System administrator – 46,750 euros
Project manager – 49,670 euros
Database specialist – 50,000 euros
IT security specialist – 51,200 euros
Application developer – 53,550 euros
2.Environmental protection and nature conservation
Climate change is becoming increasingly difficult to deny these days, and German policy has for many years now been aimed at trying to reduce the impact of human influence on the environment.
The focus of policymakers, companies and private consumers is on renewable energy sources, the development of sustainable (umweltfreundlich) modes of transport and the reduction of overall CO₂ emissions.
Accordingly, the demand for specialists in environmental protection and nature conservation is growing significantly. We can safely conclude that this trend will continue to actively develop in the future.
Environmental protection and nature conservation
Climate change is becoming increasingly difficult to deny these days, and German policy has for many years now been aimed at trying to reduce the impact of human influence on the environment.
The focus of policymakers, companies and private consumers is on renewable energy sources, the development of sustainable (umweltfreundlich) modes of transport and the reduction of overall CO₂ emissions.
Accordingly, the demand for specialists in environmental protection and nature conservation is growing significantly. We can safely conclude that this trend will continue to actively develop in the future.
Among the professions in demand are energy manager and environmental engineer. If an energy manager develops plans for companies to reduce climate-damaging production processes, then the task of an environmental engineer is to develop various resource-saving technologies, including models of power plants using renewable energy sources. Such specialists can also count on an annual income of about 50,000 euros gross.
3. Which “traditional” professions remain in demand?
However, not all professions that will be in demand in the future belong to new industries that have emerged in recent years. Many “traditional” fields of activity retain their legitimacy and prestige in Germany even in times of constant change.
Here, of course, one cannot fail to mention the medical profession. Doctors in Germany are still not only extremely in demand, but also very highly paid specialists. Of course, a doctor’s income greatly depends on his specialty, place of work and professional experience. For example, the average annual salary for a physician assistant is EUR 65,490 gross, a medical specialist is EUR 97,214, and a senior consultant physician is EUR 114,589. Doctors in private practice receive the highest salaries, and the highest paid fields are radiology and cardiology.
Another profession that does not lose its status in German society is a lawyer or attorney. Of course, income in this case also greatly depends on the place of work and position, as well as on the field of law to which the specialist devotes himself. On average, however, an aspiring lawyer can expect a fairly high starting salary of €5,200 per month, which equates to around €62,400 per year.
Another industry that is not losing its popularity is catering. A profession such as a food and gastronomic service technician is also widely in demand and well paid in Germany. Professionals who understand food production and processing and ensure the safety of products on supermarket shelves can expect an annual income of €52,000 gross.
Another important area, especially relevant for modern Germany, is the area of care. Due to demographic changes – increasing life expectancy and decreasing birth rates – the demand for caregivers for older people is growing. Although this profession does not require higher education, it is nevertheless extremely in demand and well paid. Most caregivers receive more than 2,500 euros per month for their work, that is, from 30 thousand euros gross per year.
