German Industrial Employment Falls to 6.6 Million, Shrinking to 19% of Jobs
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Jun 18
German Industrial Employment Falls to 6.6 Million, Shrinking to 19% of Jobs
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Jun 18
Summary
6.6 million people worked in German industry in 2025, the lowest level in a decade, leaving the sector with just 19% of total employment versus 22% in 2014.
Weaker hiring, rather than mass layoffs, drove the decline, with Bertelsmann researcher Luisa Kunze warning that fading recruitment signals further labor-market weakness ahead.
A shrinking pay edge has also hurt the sector's appeal: industry wage premiums fell to 10% in 2024 from 20% a decade earlier.
Higher domestic costs, tougher competition and companies shifting production abroad have kept deindustrialization concerns alive across Germany's industrial base.