The German IT job market will remain structurally tense in 2025. Although the number of unfilled IT positions has declined compared to the record year of 2023, there is no sign of relief. According to the latest figures from the Bitkom Study 2025, there is a shortage of around 109,000 IT specialists in Germany. This means that the skills gap remains at a historically high level – it is the fourth highest figure since the survey began in 2009.

This development highlights a key area of tension: Although short-term economic effects are leading to restraint in new hiring and, in some cases, even job cuts, the structural demand for IT skills remains unbroken. Digitalisation, automation and the increasing use of artificial intelligence are driving up personnel requirements – in business, administration and the public sector alike.

Economic uncertainty changes dynamics – but not demand

The current economic situation is leaving visible traces on the IT job market. 35 per cent of companies expect job cuts in the IT sector as a result of economic developments, and six per cent have already laid off IT specialists in the past twelve months. At the same time, 52 per cent of companies expect better recruitment opportunities as IT staff are made redundant by other companies.

However, these opposing effects do not lead to a lasting easing of the situation. Rather, the balance of power is shifting in the short term without eliminating the long-term bottleneck. Accordingly, 85 per cent of companies rate the current supply of IT specialists as insufficient, and 79 per cent expect the shortage to worsen. Only four per cent anticipate an easing of the situation.

Long vacancy periods as a productivity risk

The persistently long recruitment times remain particularly problematic. On average, companies need 7.7 months to fill an IT position – unchanged from 2023. Almost 60 per cent of companies need more than six months, and a significant proportion even need between seven and twelve months.

These long vacancy periods have a direct impact on innovation, project durations and competitiveness. They are a reflection of a market in which supply and demand no longer match – despite rising graduate numbers and growing training activities.

Skills gaps, salary issues and lack of flexibility

The reasons for unfilled IT positions are complex. Companies most frequently cite financial discrepancies:

• 63 per cent see a lack of alignment between salary expectations and qualifications,
• 56 per cent point to conflicts with existing internal salary structures.

In addition, skills shortages play a key role. The lack of specialist knowledge of new technologies is particularly serious: 22 per cent of companies report that applicants do not meet the very specific requirements of modern IT roles. Added to this are deficits in soft skills, language skills and technical depth.

Organisational factors are also exacerbating the bottleneck. A lack of opportunities for mobile working, insufficient working time flexibility and a low willingness to relocate are increasingly acting as barriers to recruitment – on both sides of the labour market.

Career changers are becoming the norm

A key finding of the study is the growing importance of alternative qualification pathways. Already 27 percent of newly hired IT specialists are career changers – just as many as university graduates with IT-related degrees. They often bring with them practical IT skills, non-IT vocational training, boot camp experience or self-taught knowledge.

The IT job market is thus increasingly moving away from traditional educational backgrounds. This opens up opportunities for companies, but at the same time requires systematic training and qualification strategies to compensate for a lack of depth or specialisation.

The next generation is growing – but not broadly enough

The number of computer science students is reaching new highs. In 2024, over 81,000 people enrolled in computer science courses, and the number of graduates rose to around 39,000. IT training is also growing: 32,400 trainees in 2024, around 5,500 more than in 2020.

Despite this positive development, a structural problem remains: IT remains heavily male-dominated. Women make up only 27 per cent of students, 24 per cent of graduates and only around nine per cent of IT trainees. This unnecessarily exacerbates the shortage of skilled workers because existing potential is not being sufficiently tapped.

Artificial intelligence: job killer or job engine?

The use of artificial intelligence is profoundly changing the IT job market – but not in a one-dimensional way. 27 per cent of companies expect job cuts, while 42 per cent anticipate an additional need for IT specialists due to AI. A further 16 per cent expect AI to replace primarily those jobs that cannot be filled anyway.

There is agreement that new job profiles are emerging (42 per cent) and that productivity and work quality are increasing. At the same time, 24 per cent of companies expect that IT specialists without AI skills will hardly be in demand in the future. Continuing education is thus becoming a strategic necessity – not an option.

Political pressure to act is growing

In view of the structural bottlenecks, companies are calling for clear political decisions. Particularly high levels of support are given to:

• the introduction of a weekly rather than daily maximum working time (74 per cent),
• more effective skilled worker immigration (69 per cent),
• and the active pension to keep older employees in work longer (67 per cent).

The planned Work and Stay Agency is also seen as a step in the right direction – but only if it is more than just a digital showcase. Standardised, fully digitalised processes and binding responsibilities across all participating authorities are crucial.

Conclusion: Securing skilled workers as a location issue

The IT job market in 2025 is characterised by simultaneity: declining job numbers are met with growing skill requirements, economic restraint with pressure for digital transformation. Companies are responding with further training, lateral entry and selective target group promotion – but 29 per cent are currently not taking any measures.

The Bitkom study clearly shows that securing IT specialists is not a short-term economic issue, but a central prerequisite for Germany’s competitiveness, innovative strength and digital sovereignty. Without consistent training, targeted immigration, greater diversity and reliable political framework conditions, the shortage of skilled workers threatens to become a permanent brake on growth.

Download the Bitkom study in German language: https://www.bitkom.org/Bitkom/Publikationen/Der-Arbeitsmarkt-fuer-IT-Fachkraefte