The Thuringian photonics industry currently employs around 19,600 skilled workers, almost 16,900 of whom work in industry and almost 2,700 in research institutions. These include physicists and engineers, mathematicians, chemists and computer scientists, as well as skilled workers in fields such as precision optics, mechatronics and physics laboratory technicians.
The photonics industry is expecting moderate sales growth in the coming years . This is also reflected in the personnel forecasts: by the end of 2026, a total of almost 2,000 new positions will need to be filled through expansion and replacement.
At the same time, we are facing a massive decline in the working-age population in Thuringia in the coming years. In addition, the number of graduates in the relevant STEM subjects is stagnating.