A contribution by Pauline Dörrich for the project "What's going on?!" From students at the H_DA
Have you just completed your training or studying or is about to get into your job? Then the location of your future employer could play an important role. Because every region in Germany has its own individual economic strength. In an interview, we asked the managing director of the IHK Darmstadt Rhein Main Neckar Robert Lippmann in an interview which career gain in Darmstadt and what it looks like with the economic attractiveness in Darmstadt. So is it worth starting in the city?
Professional perspectives: a strong job market
Darmstadt's economy is characterized by a high level of innovative strength. Darmstadt has the best future chances in the 2019 Prognos Current Atlas and thus ended up first in the labor market category. The largest employers include chemical and pharmaceutical company Merck KGAA, Software AG and Deutsche Telekom.
If you want to take a job in these professional fields, you have very good chances in Darmstadt. Research institutions such as the GSI Helmholtzzentrum for Heavy Iion Research and the Fraunhofer Institute also offer a wide range of entry opportunities.
This is what Robert Lippmann from the IHK Darmstadt says about the economic situation in Darmstadt:
There are good career opportunities in all industries in southern Hesse, not only for the three known large corporations here in Darmstadt. Employers' competition becomes tougher, which is mainly due to demographic change. There is - as of today - not enough offspring here on the regional labor market. That is why not every employer will be able to fill his vacancies.
What are economic challenges in Darmstadt currently?
If I break it down to Darmstadt, I would call three points: First there is the availability of space. The location is very much in demand, there are too few commercial space that are developed accordingly. This is an obstacle to economic growth, especially for companies that want to settle in Darmstadt. Point two is the transformation in the city centers that do not go without a trace at Darmstadt - as the closure of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof shows. And thirdly: the lack of specialists.
What makes Darmstadt attractive compared to the large business town of Frankfurt?
The difference is that Darmstadt is a whole piece more manageable - in a positive sense. The contact density here is significantly higher and access to large companies and institutions is much easier than in Frankfurt. That is why there are more open doors for young professionals: the inside of Darmstadt and the open doors are also easier to find. Overall, Darmstadt is a city that moves at eye level. This means that there is close cooperation between companies, universities and the city, and the exchange among them is very open overall.
What would you recommend young professionals: inside?
I think you have to prepare that the uncertainty of the economic perspective will be a permanent condition. When choosing a career, there will be no more security than you have up to date. Anyone who used to be a crisis -resistant employer may no longer be no longer tomorrow. For example, if you earned Google earlier with the idea that it was a great and absolutely safe employer, then it is no longer so clear today. Because Google's business model has been questioned since artificial intelligence providers revolutionized the Internet search. That means for you: get a picture of what kind of work you enjoy and where you feel that you find yourself. And very important: stay open.
How do you see the economic development of Darmstadt in the next five to ten years?
I believe that Darmstadt is predestined for positive economic development. Because we have a very strong environment from medium -sized companies, industry, research and science, which works very closely. Due to the proximity to the Frankfurt Airport, we are very well connected by the infrastructure and in this respect everything that is needed is here.
Contribution picture: Robert Lippmann is the managing director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Darmstadt Rhein Main Neckar. Photo: IHK/Klaus Mai
This article was made as part of the project "What's going on" - a teaching editorial team of students from the online journalism course at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (H_DA). Da.news supports the project and publishes selected articles on its platform. Further information and texts are available here and on: www.was-da-los.de
