Though experience counts a lot in every field, but with it, the age always keeps a track of time and follows experience like a shadow, teasing it at regular intervals. Somewhat similar has happened in the German carmakers’ camp, with engineers losing the grace and precision with time and lack of interest in technical studies among people has caused fan to the fires. The unwanted trend has gripped the industry and shortfall of engineers is the obvious aftermath. The firms like Porsche and BMW, which have shared their aim of achieving record sales of their luxuries this year, do not want to put their foot in the mouth.
Talking about the ace Porsche, its Porsche Cayenne is being assembled in Leipzig, Germany. A shortage of qualified and talented workers has made German automakers fill positions by recruiting people from China and India. Porsche and BMW, who have predicted record sales for their luxury German cars this year, are finding ways to get skilful hands operate on their products.
A greying workforce and deflating enrolment in technical studies has caused a draught of fresh minded engineers in their home country. The shortage has to risen to an all-time swelling of about 77,000 last month, according to the VDI German engineering association.
If specific needs are taken into being, BMW desperately wishes to hire 800 people at its factory in Leipzig, as part of an elongation, for the production of the i3 electric city car and the i8 hybrid super car. The giant Porsche is on the same boat and is recruiting more than 1,000 workers for its plant that resides about 17km away, where it mulls to bring the new Cajun compact sport-utility vehicle production into being.
The shortage may jeopardise the level of competition and the heat that is produced during face-offs of BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG may cool down. The leaders are planning to expand and increase the development of electric vehicles. One third of Germany's eminent companies now confirms and believes that a shortage of skilled workers can pose a huge hurdle, in the form of business risk. The similar thinking and mindset of the giants have been brought into light by August 15 survey of more than 500 companies by the DIHK chamber of industry and commerce. Willi Fuchs, director of the VDI association conveyed the urgency by stating that "It's a very serious problem that could hold up research and development of new car."
BMW, VW's Audi, and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz have been striving to grab the top spot in the luxury car segment. This would ensure the trend of hiring new talents remains for a long period of time. BMW, the current leader, conveys that it foresees an increase in deliveries to 2 million vehicles by 2020 from 1.6 million this year. Audi and Mercedes both are preparing themselves for the face-off with Munich-based rival BMW for the no. 1 position in the recent coming years as they target record 2011 sales and swell its capabilities to attain it.
India and China have been the ray of hope as the German automakers have planned to rope in fresh skilled engineers from these countries. The real test is here for the makers and time will convey the real mettle of each giant that is making it to the battleground.
