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While Germany is one of the most significant investors in Lithuania and, from now on, a key NATO collective defence partner (with a transfer of 5,000 troops and civilians from the German brigade to Lithuania by 2027), there remains a shortage of German-speaking workers in our country.
“Some of the German Brigade soldiers and civilians will come here with their families, who will need various services such as preschool and primary education, language training, etc. The deployment of the troops is gradually beginning, and meticulous Germans are already interested in whether Lithuania has enough workers to provide these services,” — says Assoc. Prof. Rūta Eidukevičienė, a Germanist and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Vytautas Magnus University.
Knowledge of German opens broad career opportunities
According to the associate professor, the shortage of German-speaking professionals is not only a concern for the country’s security sector. Representatives from the business and education sectors are also sounding the alarm bells.
“Currently, the majority of the country’s municipalities plan to discontinue Russian as a second foreign language in schools from September and offer pupils a choice of one of the European Union (EU) languages. Most commonly, Year 6 pupils are offered German or French, and in some schools Spanish, but there is a lack of teachers for these languages, especially in the regions. Data show that an increasing number of pupils are choosing German; however, given the close ties between Lithuania and Germany and the career prospects that the German language offers, the percentage could be higher,” asserts Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė.
She also notes a new trend where schools have to compete with the business sector for German language specialists – both Lithuanian and international companies operating in our country consider knowledge of the German language to be a very important skill, hence career opportunities in companies for students who choose German studies often open while they are still studying.
“In response to this need, a few years ago we restructured our German studies programme – starting from the very first semester, we offer students career planning internships, during which they visit various companies working with the German market, hear from specialists about the competences expected by future employers, perform tasks assigned by them, and in later semesters return to complete longer internships at the company. Today’s German Studies are much more focused on the development of practical skills and providing broader knowledge about Germany,” the teacher of the VMU first-cycle study programme Foreign Languages and Cultures: German Language and Communication outlines the future prospects for prospective specialists.
Due to specialist shortage, several potential investment projects have been lost
According to Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė, companies operating internationally recognise that, often, knowledge of English alone is no longer sufficient and that what separates successful businesses from “average” ones is that communication is conducted in the language of the country where the business is developed or in the language spoken by the clients.
“When it comes to the German market, business representatives emphasise that there is a significant shortage of employees who not only speak German but also understand certain communication and cultural nuances, and this need is expected to grow in the near future,” asserts Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė, who has extensive experience in the business sector and currently assists companies in developing employees’ intercultural communication skills with German-speaking countries.
Andrius Veršinskas, Head of the Business Division at KaunasIN, concurs, noting that the demand for German language skills in the labour market is high and increasing across Lithuania, particularly in Kaunas. Germany remains not only one of Lithuania’s main export markets but also the country with the most investors, who are the largest in Lithuania and Kaunas.
“Investors based in Kaunas are expanding not only in the sectors that brought them to Lithuania. For instance, companies like ‘Continental’ and ‘Hella’, which manufacture electronic components for automobiles, have opened their business services (finance) centres where German is highly prioritised, and sometimes required. In fact, due to the shortage of German-speaking specialists, we have lost several potential investment projects in Kaunas,” says Andrius Veršinskas.
According to him, it should come as no surprise that German is one of the foreign languages (with English having become the market standard) whose proficient command can by itself guarantee a job in business service centres or sales teams, even without other industry-specific knowledge or education. “Even for engineers or employees with clear specific knowledge, competences, and education in other fields, knowledge of foreign languages, especially German, often translates to an additional few (or more) hundred euros each month,” Veršinskas asserts.
The demand for German-speaking specialists, which has been growing for several years, is also emphasised by Mantas Butkus, Head of Technical Support Services – German Language Team at Festo, a German capital company based in Kaunas, which employs a large number of VMU German Studies graduates.
“It is gratifying that we have educational institutions in Lithuania that pay great attention to the development of intercultural communication skills. This is particularly beneficial in helping new employees quickly integrate into international teams and successfully collaborate with colleagues from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland,” Mantas Butkus reflects on the German Language and Communication study programme at VMU.
Studies focus on improving not only language skills but also intercultural competences
Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė points out that the VMU study programme German Language and Communication stands out because it is designed for those who not only want to learn German (with the possibility to start from scratch or advance existing skills) but also wish to learn more about the history, culture, and economic systems of Germany and other German-speaking countries, undertake internships in these countries, and participate in international student projects.
“When choosing study courses, students of the German Language and Communication programme can decide for themselves in which area – business, law, media, advertising, or tourism – they wish to improve their German language skills. Additionally, alongside German, students can study another EU language – French, Italian, or Spanish. German philology students, in addition to their main study programme, can choose a minor, which provides additional opportunities to find a job they like. Starting this year, students who opt for minor studies in Pedagogy receive a scholarship of 357.50 euros,” explains one of the programme’s teachers.
She also highlights the broad international opportunities offered by the University. The VMU German Language and Communication programme closely collaborates not only with local social partners but also with partner universities in Germany. One of these is Saarland University, which, like VMU, is a member of the European University Alliance Transform4Europe.
“Alliance partners continually discover new activities and initiatives that creatively and innovatively transform studies and research. One such initiative, starting this September, sees VMU and Saarland University jointly conduct a study module ‘Intercultural German Language Didactics’, which VMU students of German philology or other foreign philologies can attend either in person or online, earning a certificate from Saarland University (InterDiDaF). This course takes place in mixed intercultural groups, where students jointly carry out various practical projects, acquire competencies in German language didactics, and prepare for teaching German in an international context,” Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė details.
According to Elisabeth Venohr, Study Coordinator at Saarland University, interdisciplinarity, multilingualism, and the development of intercultural competences are the main pillars of this partnership. “The InterDiDaF studies and certificate encourage students and lecturers to view language teaching and learning from a new perspective, expand intercultural competences through German, and prepare to apply them in multilingual contexts, especially in border regions,” Dr. Elisabeth Venohr explains.
Elena Yorgova-Ramanauskas, the State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digital Affairs, and Energy of Saarland, welcomes the strengthening partnership between the two universities and emphasises the importance of collaboration with future employers. “Meeting the growing demand for qualified specialists is a challenge that politicians, the business sector, and universities must address together in the coming decades. We are facing a shortage of workers prepared to fill vacant positions. It is crucial that during their studies, students acquire not only foreign language skills but also additional competencies, including intercultural communication skills, as we want our employees to feel comfortable when they arrive here. The cooperation between higher education institutions and companies in introducing young people to the business environment is mutually beneficial,” says Elena Yorgova-Ramanauskas.
VMU Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė believes that one of the key tasks of the German Language and Communication programme, which she curates, is not only to teach students the German language but also to give them the opportunity to engage in academic and professional networks as early as possible, and to acquire practical skills and international exchange experience.
“Collaboration with Saarland University and the newly established certificate, the opportunity to choose a minor alongside German Philology, and to get acquainted with the realities of the labour market at an earlier stage – all this not only helps students pursue personal careers but also ensures the University’s contribution to addressing the need for qualified German language specialists in Kaunas and throughout Lithuania,” Assoc. Prof. Eidukevičienė explains.
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