German high-tech sector needs Asian talent, leaders say

0 Comments | AFP, December, 2007

BERLIN (AFP) — Bernd Voelcker desperately needs programmers and sales managers for his software firm in Berlin, but he can't hire promising Indian or Chinese candidates because Germany's labour market has shut them out.

For his company Infopark, the situation is getting critical.

"In November, we had to refuse a contract for the first time," Voelcker said. "We are trying to farm out tasks and to get our clients to wait. They are not happy, but they accept because it's the same everywhere."

With 13 vacant posts of a total 80, Infopark is far from being an isolated case.

There are roughly 43,000 jobs going begging in new technology sectors and "losses can be calculated in billions" according to August-Wilhelm Scheer, president of the sector federation...