Shortage of Skilled Workers? Companies Are Now Looking for Women

In Düsseldorf, a new networking event aims to bring companies and women together to specifically address shortages of skilled workers. The focus is on career changes, re-entry, and the question of how companies can become more attractive to female employees—not as an image project, but as a tangible factor for recruiting and retaining staff.

The working group "Strengthening Women's Employment" invites you to the event "Company Seeks Woman: Talking Together, Learning from Each Other – Women Change the Economy" on Wednesday, June 11, 2026, at the Career Information Center (BIZ) of the Düsseldorf Employment Agency (Grafenberger Allee 300). The event is aimed at women interested in training, reorientation, as well as career changes or re-entry—and at the same time at companies looking to attract additional skilled workers.

Exchange Format Against Labor Market Shortages

The concept relies on direct encounters instead of pure information transfer: Women are to find out concretely which paths into new professional fields are possible, while employers receive feedback in exchange about which hurdles exist in practice—and how these can be reduced.

"This is where the event 'Company Seeks Woman' comes in. It is intended to provide a platform for companies and women to engage in mutual exchange on equal footing and to network with employers. We bring both sides together and get them talking. Whether career change, re-entry, reorientation, or training—here, women learn how they can develop further and break into new, exciting professional fields. And companies learn how they can position themselves attractively for female employees."

The debate about the "shortage of skilled workers" is, in many cases, more about specific bottlenecks than a widespread shortage of labor, as reflected in the 2025 Skilled Worker Bottleneck Analysis by the Federal Employment Agency: Nationwide, bottlenecks were identified in 157 professions. The message behind this is central for events like this: Those looking for staff must take a closer look at which professions have particularly large gaps—and which groups in the labor market have not yet been reached to the extent possible.

Companies Should Become More Attractive to Women

The event addresses not only the individual question of how women can embark on new career paths. It also places responsibility on companies: Those who want to attract and retain more women in the long term need conditions that realistically reconcile gainful employment with real-life circumstances. In the context of the event, flexible working hours, better pay, and greater participation in working life are particularly mentioned.

The focus on pay is more than just a political buzzword. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the unadjusted gender pay gap in Germany in 2025 was 16 percent. For companies, this means: Transparent, comprehensible pay structures and development paths are not just an equality issue, but a competitive factor—especially in industries where skilled workers have choices.

"Equality and diversity are not special topics for us, but self-evident principles of modern corporate management. Economic success arises where people are given fair opportunities, take on responsibility, and can contribute their perspectives. Greater participation in working life is, in our view, an important prerequisite for prosperity, growth, and future viability, especially in medium-sized businesses."

From a labor market research perspective, increasing women's participation in employment is also a relevant building block against shortages: A study by the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Labor (KOFA) at the German Economic Institute shows that the number of women in jobs subject to social security contributions rose from 13.1 million (2014) to 15.6 million (2024). The trend underscores that additional skilled labor potential not only exists in theory, but is already becoming effective—and that qualification and suitable working conditions determine whether this increase actually reaches the places where companies urgently need staff.

Program Focuses on Practice, Contacts, and Concrete Conversations

The event begins at 10 a.m. with check-in at the BIZ of the Düsseldorf Employment Agency. At 10:35 a.m., Birgitta Kubsch-von Harten, Chairwoman of the Management Board of the Düsseldorf Employment Agency, will give the welcome address. At 10:45 a.m., a keynote speech will follow by Dr. Lydia Malin (German Economic Institute Cologne). The program will be moderated by Tabea Schneider (Düsseldorf Chamber of Crafts).

• 11 a.m.: Panel discussion "Career Change: Dead End or Career Booster?"
• 11:30 a.m.: Presentation of participating companies
• 12 p.m.: Round tables at themed tables
• 2 p.m.: End of the program

The event is free of charge for women. Childcare will be provided if needed—a detail that is more than just a service for the target group: Those who want to achieve re-entry or reorientation must create access that is realistically usable even with caregiving responsibilities.

Travel Information

The public transport stop is Schlüterstraße/Arbeitsagentur (including lines U72, U73, U83, 709 as well as bus lines 725, 733, 810). Parking is available at the rear of the agency building on Ivo-Beucker-Straße and in the surrounding residential area.

The Düsseldorf format thus relies on a pragmatic mechanism: Companies experiencing concrete staff shortages meet women seeking new perspectives—and both sides negotiate directly what actually makes entry and retention easier. Whether new jobs, re-entries, or training paths will result from this will only become apparent after the event.