Shortage of Skilled Workers? Companies Are Looking for Women

In Düsseldorf, a networking event aims to bring companies and women together directly – and thus address a point where the labor market has been stuck for years: companies are looking for staff, while at the same time, employment potential remains unused. The format is explicitly aimed at women who are planning to re-enter the workforce, considering a career change, or want to reorient themselves.

Event Details

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the working group "Strengthening Women's Employment" invites you to the Career Information Center (BIZ) of the Düsseldorf Employment Agency (Grafenberger Allee 300). From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be discussions at themed tables, short stage formats, and direct contacts with companies. For employers, the networking meeting is also a way to assess their position: those urgently seeking skilled workers often have to offer more than just a job opening – such as reliably plannable working hours, development prospects, and conditions that make work-life balance realistic.

Schedule

• 10:00 a.m.: Check-in
• 10:30 a.m.: Opening and Welcome
• 10:35 a.m.: Address by Birgitta Kubsch-von Harten
• 10:45 a.m.: Keynote by Dr. Lydia Malin
• 11:00 a.m.: Panel Discussion "One-way Street or Career Booster?"
• 11:30 a.m.: Company Presentations
• 12:00 p.m.: Round-Tables
• 1:00 p.m.: Come Together at the Stands
• 1:40 p.m.: Presentation of Results and Raffle of a Business Photoshoot
• 2:00 p.m.: End of Event

Platform for Re-entry, Career Change, and Training

The event is aimed at women who want to return to work after a family or caregiving phase, are considering switching to a new field, or want to learn about training opportunities. Especially for career changers, in practice, it is less about a "perfect" resume and more about whether companies are willing to seriously organize onboarding, qualification, and flexible entry models. This is exactly where the event comes in: it aims to provide orientation – and bring companies together with applicants who are "eager for change."

Ambition and Goals

Sigrid Wolf, DGB Chairwoman and head of the working group, describes the ambition of the event as follows: "This is where the event 'Company Seeks Woman' comes in. It is intended to provide a platform for companies and women to engage in an exchange on equal footing and to network with employers. We bring both sides together and into conversation. Whether career change, re-entry, reorientation, or training – with us, women learn how they can develop further and/or advance into new, exciting professional fields. And companies learn how they can position themselves attractively for female employees."

Offer for Participants

The offer is free of charge for participants. Childcare will be provided if needed – a detail that can be crucial in practice: when employment fails due to lack of childcare, appeals are of little help; without concrete relief, many offers remain difficult to use for exactly the target group.

Shortage of Skilled Workers Meets Untapped Potential

The pressure on the labor market is measurable. According to the Federal Employment Agency, there were 163 occupations nationwide with a shortage of skilled workers in 2024. Particularly affected were care and health professions, construction and craft trades, as well as other occupations where vacancies cannot be filled for extended periods. At the same time, the BA's bottleneck analysis points to a structural "division": despite unemployment, many positions remain unfilled – for example, because qualifications do not match or working conditions are not attractive enough.

At the same time, there is a significant reservoir of people who basically want to work or could work, but are not or not immediately employed. The Federal Statistical Office estimated around 4.9 million non-employed people aged 15 to 74 with labor potential for 2025, including people in the so-called hidden reserve. For women, caregiving responsibilities were a key reason for not working or not yet working. For events like the one in Düsseldorf, this number is more than an abstract value: it marks the area where it is specifically about plannable working hours, reliable childcare arrangements, and suitable entry models – in other words, about conditions that determine whether "potential" actually becomes employment.

Income reality is also part of the problem. According to Destatis, the unadjusted gender pay gap in 2025 was 16 percent; women earned an average of 22.81 euros per hour, men 27.05 euros. Such differences have a direct impact on decisions in families – for example, who reduces working hours first when there are childcare bottlenecks. If companies want to attract more women, it is therefore not enough to just advertise jobs: it is also about whether work pays off financially and development opportunities are realistic.

Actors and Moderation

The format is supported by several actors from the labor market, business, and urban society. Participants include, among others:

• IHK Düsseldorf
• Chamber of Crafts Düsseldorf
• DGB City Association Düsseldorf
• Office for Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination of the State Capital Düsseldorf
• Jobcenter Düsseldorf
• Employment Agency Düsseldorf

The program is moderated by Tabea Schneider (Chamber of Crafts Düsseldorf).

Participating Companies

Among the participating companies is Schulz & Sohn GmbH, a Düsseldorf-based SME in B2B trade with chemical products. Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer Mark Sethe says: "Equality and diversity are not special topics for us, but self-evident aspects of modern corporate management. Economic success arises where people are given fair opportunities, take on responsibility, and can contribute their perspectives. More participation in working life is, in our view, an important prerequisite for prosperity, growth, and future viability, especially in SMEs."

Fabian Düesmann Larocque, Head of People & Culture, refers to the change in employment biographies: "Many career paths today are no longer linear. But it is precisely in this that valuable experiences and perspectives often lie. We want to encourage people to seize opportunities, develop further, and find their place in the company – regardless of whether it is about starting a career, re-entering, or new professional paths."

Arrival and Parking

The event location is accessible by public transport via the Schlüterstraße/Arbeitsagentur stop:

• Tram lines U72, U73, U83, 709
• Bus lines 725, 733, 810

The organizers mention parking options at the rear of the agency building on Ivo-Beucker-Straße as well as in the residential area around the agency.

Conclusion

The Düsseldorf networking meeting is therefore not a general career event, but a labor market policy-oriented attempt to bring supply and demand together more directly. Whether concrete employment will result from this will only become clear after the discussions. However, the benchmark is clear: if companies want to attract women as skilled workers, they must not only recruit, but also create working conditions that reflect real life – and organize entry in such a way that interest can actually turn into a job.