Increasing qualification demands in manual work?

Abstract

"This study, which is based on official statistics and data from surveys, adduced that in the past years more and more skilled workers have been employed in jobs in which their specialist qualifications were not necessary, they were left unexploited and expired.The study showed in particular that the formal qualification level of manual workers increased considerably in the past. In 1993 only 31% had not completed any vocational training, compared with 41% in 1980. This increased influx of trained staff was, however, used by many firms only in part in order to increase the number of qualified positions (such as skilled workers and master craftsmen). The majority was used to replace 'unskilled' workers at all levels of the hierarchy with 'skilled' workers. Such substitutions occurred in particular at the level of semiskilled and unskilled workers (the so-called non-skilled positions). These jobs are splitting up increasingly into two segments. Into a first segment with unskilled workers which is showing a tendency to decrease in numbers. And into a second segment with staff trained in a company, which is showing a heavy tendency towards expansion. According to the results of this study, semi-skilled and unskilled positions are not lost in the process of technical and organisational change, but are newly developed and for some time now have been increasingly filled by workers who have trained in a different field. The skilled workers employed in these positions virtually work as semi-skilled and unskilled workers. According to the information they gave, the work arising usually requires neither the specialist knowledge and skills they have acquired, nor even the completion of an apprenticeship. No special knowledge which would have to be acquired, for example, in further training courses was necessary." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Henninges, H. (1996): Steigende Qualifikationsanforderungen im Arbeiterbereich? In: Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Vol. 29, No. 1, p. 73-92.