Berlin (dpa) – Employment in Germany’s key manufacturing sector has hit a new high following the nation’s long run of economic growth.
The number of people holding manufacturing jobs in German companies with more than 50 employees stood at 5.6 million at the end of June – a rise of 2.6 per cent compared with the same month last year, the Federal Statistics Office (Destatis) said in preliminary data released on Wednesday.
Employment in the manufacturing sector is now at the highest level since Destatis launched the job series in January 2005.
Figures released by Destatis on Tuesday showed Europe’s biggest economy growing at a stronger-than-forecast 0.5 per cent quarter on quarter in the three months ended June, resulting in the nation’s gross domestic product expanding 34 out of the last 37 quarters.
Companies manufacturing electronic and optical products recorded the biggest gains in jobs with employment rising by 4.1 per cent in June 2018 compared with a year earlier.
The number of employees in mechanical engineering groups also increased at an above-average rate of 3.6 per cent, while employment in production of foodstuffs and animal feed as well metal products each grew by 3.2 per cent.
The number of employees working in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts climbed by 1.5 per cent.
