Shortage of skilled workers in the hospitality industry: opportunities and challenges in Oberpullendorf

Shortage of skilled workers in the hospitality industry: opportunities and challenges in Oberpullendorf

The situation in the Oberpullendorf district is currently exciting but challenging. As unemployment rates rise in the region, demand for new talent in the hospitality industry is showing a notable increase. At the end of July 2025, 59 people from the hospitality industry were unemployed in the district, which corresponds to an increase of 31 percent compared to the previous year. So far, 123 people have registered as unemployed, while 173 have ended their unemployment. This reflects a trend that can be observed not only locally, but also in other regions of Austria. Loud daily news The shortage of skilled workers in the hospitality industry is a burning issue that poses major challenges for many companies.

Cooks and service workers, who are considered to be in shortage across Austria, are particularly affected. In Oberpullendorf, demand for vacancies rose by 14 percent compared to the previous year, and companies are forced to increasingly rely on skilled workers from abroad. Almost 60 percent of employees in the industry come from other countries, especially Hungary. Notices in hotels and restaurants already indicate the increasing need for personnel, and it can be observed that one in four vacancies cannot be filled by a suitably qualified unemployed person KOFAb reported.

Budding talent and training opportunities

In the Oberpullendorf district, 52 young people currently do not have a training position, while only 39 open apprenticeship positions are available. Both the number of searchers and the number of vacancies have increased. This not only pleases companies that rely on young talent, but also shows the potential for improving the skilled worker situation. In order to attract young people to the industry, new training offers, such as the apprenticeship “vegetarian culinary specialist”, provide impetus for modernizing and increasing the attractiveness of the catering industry.

Industry development is enormously influenced by changing consumer habits and increased costs. While the number of overnight stays in Burgenland is breaking records, catering establishments are confronted with rising prices for food and staff as well as strict economic regulations. Companies have had to adjust their performance and opening times and are increasingly relying on less qualified employees. Loud daily news The situation did not improve last year as a result of the European Football Championship, on the contrary: the industry's sales fell by almost eleven percent.

Looking into the future

The future of the hospitality industry in the district depends largely on how well the companies manage to attract and retain employees. The skilled worker situation is described as “precarious,” and unconventional solutions such as the use of robots in the catering industry are often used to solve personnel bottlenecks. The recommendation is clear: Careers should be made more attractive in order to attract new talent - through better prospects and a good work-life balance. In the long term, more career changers and foreign skilled workers will also have to be recruited in order to close the gaps.

In summary, it can be said that the Oberpullendorf district is facing an exciting challenge that includes both the need for qualified personnel and efforts to modernize training offerings. The ability to deal with these circumstances will be crucial in order to secure the region's traditional strength, characterized by wine and culinary traditions, in the long term.