Executive Summary
- According to Bitkom, 69 percent of companies with IT positions employ career changers (31 percent often, 38 percent occasionally).
- 39 percent of companies plan to rely more on career changers in the future; 51 percent rate practical IT skills higher than formal degrees.
- The survey was carried out, according to Bitkom, among 602 companies (319 with IT positions) in calendar weeks 18 to 25, 2026.
- Bitkom names measures to promote continuing education and career changers, such as personal budgets and subsidized AI training budgets.
What happened?
Facts: According to a press release from the digital association Bitkom, a representative survey of 602 companies with at least three employees in Germany, of which 319 have IT positions, found that 69 percent of these companies employ career changers in IT roles. 31 percent said they do this often, 38 percent only occasionally. In addition, respondents stated that 39 percent plan to rely more on career changers in the coming years and that for 51 percent practical IT skills are more important than formal degrees.
Context: The study lists various entry paths: professionally acquired IT skills, bootcamps, self‑directed learning, or completed or unfinished apprenticeships and degree programs. Bitkom also refers to recommendations for promoting continuing education and specific AI training budgets.
Recommendation: Review the Bitkom results in detail for your sector and collect internal data on existing career‑changer profiles before adjusting recruitment strategies.
Why does it matter?
Facts: The release points out that Germany continues to face a high demand for IT specialists and that AI competencies are becoming more important. Bitkom therefore names continuing education and career changers as courses of action.
Context: If companies place greater weight on practical skills and career changers are widespread, the hiring and qualification landscape in IT changes: labor market bottlenecks can be addressed not only through formal education routes but also through targeted recruitment and upskilling of talent from other professions.
Recommendation: Decision‑makers should analyze internal skills gaps and assess where practice‑oriented qualifications already suffice or can be supplemented by targeted continuing education.
What does this mean for mid-sized companies?
Facts: The survey covers companies with at least three employees, so the results can also be relevant for small and mid‑sized companies. Bitkom mentions possible support measures such as personal training budgets and subsidized AI training budgets for mid‑sized companies, as well as career‑entry programs and bootcamps.
Context: For mid‑sized companies, career changers offer a way to meet IT staffing needs more flexibly without relying exclusively on classical IT apprenticeships or degree programs. At the same time, employing staff with formal IT training remains widespread, so hybrid personnel strategies appear sensible.
Recommendation: Mid‑sized decision‑makers should review their hiring policies and training offerings, create internal development pathways for career changers, and specifically use funding opportunities for AI and IT training.
Related: AI Readiness Check
Recommendation from Future AI Solutions
Facts: The Bitkom results suggest that career changers and practice‑oriented qualifications are playing an increasing role and that instruments to support continuing education are under discussion.
Context: Against this background, it is strategically sensible for mid‑sized companies to adapt personnel and training processes to close skills gaps flexibly and to build AI competencies.
Recommendation: Future AI Solutions recommends pragmatic steps:
- Audit: Record internal IT tasks and the competencies required; identify positions that can be filled by career changers.
- Pilot programs: Start small, structured career‑change or upskilling programs (e.g., internal traineeships, mentoring, hands‑on projects) and measure their returns.
- Training budget: Consider introducing personal training budgets and using external, targeted offers (bootcamps, certified courses), especially for AI topics.
- Partnerships: Build collaborations with education providers and subsidized programs to diversify recruitment channels.
- Measure and adapt: Document hiring and development outcomes and iteratively adjust processes.
These measures are aligned with the developments described by Bitkom and help to reduce risks in personnel development in a controlled way.