Craft businesses in transition: mastering challenges

Craft businesses in transition: mastering challenges

The craft sector faces a variety of challenges, including a lack of young talent, a low proportion of women and advancing digitalization. Thomas Kurzke, President of the Bremen Chamber of Crafts, emphasizes the need to position ourselves in a modern and digital way, to inspire young people and women for crafts and at the same time to deal with the effects of the economic crisis. The bureaucracy represents an enormous burden, especially for small craft businesses, which could possibly be reduced through tax incentives.

A central problem in the industry is the shortage of skilled workers, which has arisen as a result of decades of funding for academic education. Thomas Kurzke advocates that manual work be valued just as much as mental work, as both are equally valuable. Recruiting young talent requires an attractive presentation of the craft, including on social media, as well as close cooperation between schools and business.

The skilled trades offer approaches to improving the work-life balance, with part-time models and flexible working hours becoming increasingly important. The industry is on its way to evolving in this area and responding to the needs of Gen Z. Winning women into the trades is a major challenge because traditional role models and prejudices have to be overcome.

The search for successors in the trades is difficult because the demands on modern business management are constantly increasing. Taking responsibility requires financial investment and continuous modernization. The Chamber of Crafts supports companies with questions about business succession and offers advice from experienced experts.