Despite a worsening shortage of skilled workers, the Berlin Senate significantly lagged behind its own targets for training new recruits in 2025. Out of the 284 million Euros allocated for the development of public sector personnel, approximately 47 million Euros remained unspent. This alarming figure, revealed in a new report by Finance Senator Stefan Evers (CDU), highlights a systemic issue that threatens the functionality of Berlin’s public services.
A Deep Dive into Unspent Funds and Missed Opportunities
The report indicates a stark disparity in how different departments utilized their training budgets. While the Justice Department even exceeded its allocated funds for new recruits, others fell significantly short. The Senate Department for Labor and Social Affairs, led by Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD), spent just over half of its training budget. Although this department trains relatively few people in vocational professions, a spokesperson clarified that most of the money is used for internships for veterinarians and pharmacists, or for technical careers in the respective state offices.
However, the largest absolute amount of unspent money, 29 million Euros, remained in the Interior Department. The main reason cited by Interior Senator Iris Spranger’s (SPD) office is the difficulty in recruiting sufficient personnel for the police force. Out of 1,224 available places in 2025, only 936 police trainees could be recruited, leaving a substantial gap.
The Senate Finance Department emphasized that individual Senate administrations are responsible for the expenditure of funds. A spokesperson noted that this past year was not an anomaly, as allocated training funds have generally not been fully utilized in previous years. However, they maintained that an expenditure rate of over 80 percent of available funds still represents a “high level.”
Personnel Representatives Sound the Alarm
Personnel representatives paint a bleaker picture. They fear that the number of graduates from various training programs, traineeships, and dual study courses will be insufficient to compensate for the high turnover among younger employees and the impending retirement wave of baby boomers. “Berlin has enormous difficulties filling training positions,” said Daniela Ortmann, Chairwoman of the Main Staff Council. “The approximately 300 people who complete their training annually will not be enough to offset the departures.” The Senate expects 3,700 employees to reach retirement age this year, with more than 4,000 in the future. Ortmann also highlighted that the budget crisis is hindering digitalization and the use of AI in public authorities. “This can keep you awake at night,” she added.
Indeed, the number of public service employees in various training programs has remained fairly constant for several years, hovering just over 10,000. In January 2025, there were 10,516. This represents 7.7 percent of all state employees. However, this quota has slightly decreased due to the overall increase in the number of employees to over 136,000.
A Fragmented View of the Workforce
A holistic view is not particularly helpful for the future functionality of Berlin’s authorities. A large proportion of trainees are legal clerks in the judiciary, prospective teachers for schools, or recruits for the police, fire brigade, and tax offices. The number of young people pursuing dual vocational training in public authorities has actually decreased, and the number of training places in district offices has stagnated. The situation could become more interesting if individual departments are also subject to the training levy promoted by Labor Senator Kiziltepe.
Systemic Issues and External Pressures
From the perspective of the Main Staff Council’s Youth and Trainee Representation, the problems are largely self-inflicted, and the general conditions are poor. “There is little appreciation for training personnel,” said Chairman Sasha König. “Training as a fixed service task is rarely lived up to.” He argues that Berlin should have started training beyond its immediate needs ten years ago.
The lack of trainers led to a situation in autumn where the training of administrative assistants at the Administrative Academy could not be fully guaranteed in some subjects, as reported by the Staff Council at the time. Another reason for the shortage of young talent, however, is unlikely to be solved in the short term. Many interested individuals from outside Berlin cannot come to the city “because they cannot find an apartment,” reported the youth representative. This housing crisis adds another layer of complexity to an already challenging recruitment environment.
The Long-Term Consequences
The failure to adequately invest in and support public sector training has far-reaching implications. It not only exacerbates current staffing shortages but also undermines the long-term capacity of Berlin’s public services to function effectively. As an aging workforce approaches retirement, the pipeline of new talent is insufficient to fill the void. This could lead to reduced service quality, increased workloads for existing staff, and a general decline in the efficiency of public administration.
The issue is not merely one of budgetary allocation but also of strategic planning and prioritization. While the city faces various financial constraints, the underinvestment in human capital is a critical oversight that could prove far more costly in the long run. The lack of affordable housing further complicates recruitment efforts, creating a vicious cycle where potential talent is deterred from joining the public sector.
A Call for Action
Addressing this crisis requires a multi-faceted approach. Firstly, there needs to be a fundamental shift in political priorities, recognizing training and talent development as essential investments rather than discretionary expenses. Secondly, a more proactive and coordinated strategy is needed across all departments to identify future staffing needs and implement effective recruitment and training programs. This includes exploring innovative training models and partnerships.
Finally, the city must tackle the broader issue of affordable housing to make Berlin an attractive place for young professionals and trainees. Without these concerted efforts, the city risks a significant degradation of its public services, impacting residents and businesses alike.
The question remains: will Berlin’s authorities learn from these missed opportunities and implement the necessary changes before the crisis becomes insurmountable?
