Education & Academia / Education Systems / Vocational Education & Training

Germany's Hidden Crisis: 7.5 Million Workers Can't Read – And It's Breaking Healthcare

Steffi Bock, Leah Möllenbrink-Schulze

By 2030, Germany will face a shortage of 737,000 care workers. But the real crisis is already here: 7.5 million adults—14.5% of the workforce—are functionally illiterate. And 57% of them have jobs, many in nursing homes and hospitals. This video, based on groundbreaking research from Humboldt University by Steffi Bock and Leah Möllenbrink-Schulze, reveals how the digital upgrade of healthcare is actually a trap for these workers. You'll see how a care assistant who can save a life with her hands freezes in front of an iPad, how blank charts become legal time bombs, and why the shame of illiteracy is driving millions out of democracy itself. We also explore the ingenious rescue operation—from the €180 million national literacy program to the 'Mr. Shiboka' teaching modules that smuggle grammar into life-saving scenarios. This isn't just about education; it's about the survival of a civilization that depends on the very people it refuses to teach.