"The country was never unattractive"

Interview: Robert Wüst, President of the Potsdam Chamber of Crafts, on the shortage of skilled workers, his view of rural regions, digitalization, and the success of the image campaign.

This article is part of the special feature on crafts in rural areas.

Robert Wüst is a 32-year-old master metalworker and the fifth-generation owner of a metalworking company in Pritzwalk, Brandenburg. He is also the youngest president of a Chamber of Crafts and Trades in Germany.

Handwerksblatt: Mr. Wüst, the shortage of skilled workers is certainly one of the biggest challenges facing the skilled trades. Is it easier or more difficult to find apprentices in rural areas, such as those you come from? 
Desert: Finding skilled workers is no harder or easier in rural areas than in cities or metropolitan areas. The decisive factor is the situation of the companies. I know many skilled trades businesses in rural regions that are coming up with innovative ideas and are therefore able to fill their vacancies. Conversely, there are many companies in growing areas that are desperately looking but cannot find what they are looking for. Both regions face different challenges: While rural areas face mobility or infrastructure problems, cities struggle with high rents and a housing shortage. Young people who grew up in rural areas and have established roots there usually want to stay and build something for themselves. They are anchored in the community and recognized. Regional identity is a decisive argument for future prospects here. 

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Handwerksblatt: When you took office as president, you spoke about wanting to make the skilled trades smartphone-friendly. What led you to this statement?
Desert: I belong to a generation that grew up with digital possibilities. As an entrepreneur, I know how efficiently you can set up your craft business with the appropriate digital options. It's not rocket science, and in my view, it's an irreversible path today, even for the skilled trades. Competence centers for digitalization have been established to support the skilled trades with measures such as online appointment scheduling, networking between employees on construction sites, paperless offices, fast data transfers, and so on. But the foundation for this is the fastest possible expansion of an appropriate digital infrastructure. What good is the desire of companies to make their processes more efficient if the foundation, which the federal, state, and local governments are supposed to provide, is not right? It annoys me that we even have to talk about it today. In my opinion, digital infrastructure in the 21st century is just as much a part of public services and participation as the supply of water or electricity! Not just in urban areas, but also and especially in rural areas – because that's where our skilled trades are located! We must make faster progress with broadband expansion. 

Handwerksblatt: How can rural areas become more attractive again? Are there perhaps even advantages of rural areas that are not yet sufficiently recognized? 
Desert: To be honest, rural areas have never been unattractive. Regional identity, the social cohesion of clubs and people who can rely on one another, children growing up in a protected environment, personal commitment that bonds people together… have never been gone. However, it is true that many external factors and poor decisions have harmed rural areas and thus also businesses. The loss of public transport, the slow expansion of digital infrastructure, and the acceptance of shrinking services from schools and daycare centers to healthcare are all mistakes that have been made. Demographic trends alone create a great pressure to act. I see good infrastructure at the forefront in all aspects – from transport and business-related communications to administrative staffing. Incidentally, even successful companies are often not located in major cities. A strategic shift in the culture of relocation also benefits regional crafts. I believe in the comeback of rural areas. There is affordable housing, lower living costs, and diverse opportunities for development. It's people's growing longing for a sense of home and regional connection that's making rural areas attractive again. Many people want to escape the constant stress of (urban) life, especially when children join the family. 

Handwerksblatt: What contribution can small and medium-sized enterprises make to strengthen rural areas and prevent apprentices from leaving? 
Desert: Crafts, especially, are important in rural areas. They drive economic development and provide a significant support function. To keep young people in their hometowns, they must, first and foremost, be given insight into the career opportunities available here as early as possible. Close integration between schools and businesses is crucial for this. Companies should therefore work with schools early on to promote training in the region. Excursions, internships, and special days offer excellent opportunities for this. It is important that crafts get involved and promote the regions as attractive places to work and live.

Handwerksblatt: Does the craft industry’s image campaign help here? 
Desert: It has to. And this isn't just about the diversity of our skilled trades. Often, it's not just about financial considerations, but also about the quality of life in the respective regions. Why not, for example, highlight precisely those advantages? Companies in the regions can make a decisive contribution to the image by actively participating in the skilled trades' image campaign. After all, they are the ones who are on the ground and know exactly what works.

Handwerksblatt: You're often in Potsdam or Berlin, and at home in the countryside. Do you see any differences in the campaign's impact? 
Desert: Our campaign has a huge advantage: every single skilled trades business can benefit from it. Those who use it are also sending a message – "I belong." Everyone can do this in their own way: whether with a sticker, a campaign, or a poster. Showing the diversity of skilled trades works. I don't think there are any differences between urban and rural areas. Handwerksblatt: How do you rate the campaign now, almost ten years later? Are you excited about the next campaigns? Wüst: The image campaign is working; it has helped to make the image of skilled trades visible in a differentiated way. It tells stories, it shows local faces, and creates quite a few "aha moments." Many people envy us for this campaign, which in turn shows that it is right and important. An industry is capable of making messages visible in a concentrated form and conveying them across regions. The important thing now is to convey the transformation of skilled trades into a modern employer with contemporary work tasks. I'm excited about the new campaigns. Of course, I would like to see us engage and inspire all businesses. Of course, we must maintain the focus on young people that we've placed on the market in recent years, but we must also finally involve parents. It's important that the identity of the skilled trades isn't lost in our statements, that we retain our identity, and that we don't become interchangeable with the claims of other industries. 

The questions were asked by Michael Block.