The doors are slowly opening for Indian healthcare providers for seeking employment in Germany, Jurgen Mannicke, a Germany Consultant International Vocational Training has said.

With Germany having an ageing population and not enough young trained manpower, it has started thinking about opening its borders to countries (including India) even beyond the European Union .

Manpower shortage

“We face a huge shortage of skilled people in the medical care sector,” Jurgen said.

Last year, a beginning was made when, under a pilot project in China and some South East Asian countries, a group of young nurses was trained. They are now undergoing language training so that then they can find jobs in German hospitals, he said .

Similarly, a German training provider in the medical field has developed a programme with Indian trainer Navkar Skills and a university in Punjab for a programme to train nurses as per German standards. A large part of the training will be done in Germany. There will be 20-30 health care professionals in each batch.

Jurgen conceded that it could still be a few years before Indian health care professionals can start working in German hospitals. “The most important thing is the blessing of the association of employers as they are the driving force for the pilot.”

ashwini.phadnis@thehindu.co.in

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