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A new wind in Landau: Two district chimney sweeps take up duty!
On June 16, 2025, two new district chimney sweeps were introduced in Landau. The focus is on challenges and solutions to the shortage of skilled workers.
A new wind in Landau: Two district chimney sweeps take up duty!
There is a breath of fresh air in Landau: two new district chimney sweeps have been officially introduced into their service. Mayor Lukas Hartmann recently presented Christian Walter and Kai Ketturkat with their acceptance letters and badges and acknowledged their commitment to this diverse profession. “You are not only responsible for the sweeping work, but also important contacts for energy advice and safety in our households,” said Hartmann during the inauguration.
On May 1st, Kai Ketturkat took over sweeping district 3, which covers the areas of Arzheim, LD-Südwest, the northern part of Godramstein and the western city center. He succeeds Daniel Dieffenthaler. Christian Walter has been responsible for sweeping district 2 since the beginning of the year, which includes Dammheim, Horstring and the northern city center; He therefore succeeds Sven Leidner. There are a total of eight district master chimney sweeps working in Landau who have to handle numerous tasks, from sweeping work to checking heating and exhaust systems.
Challenges in the industry
But the new chimney sweeps don't just face the challenge of looking after their sweeping areas. According to a report by deea.de, the chimney sweep industry in Germany is faced with an acute shortage of skilled workers. Especially in cities like Pforzheim, more and more sweeping districts are being advertised, of which often only a few could be filled. In Thuringia, around ten of the 214 sweeping districts remain unoccupied. The potential for a further shortage is great as many chimney sweeps will be retiring in the next few years.
One reason for this situation could also be the low number of trainees in the chimney sweep trade. The training usually lasts three years and takes place in the dual system - i.e. in the company and at the vocational school. ZDS explains that the gross minimum wages for trainees have now been increased to make the profession more attractive. But despite these improvements, more and more journeymen are forgoing self-employment and are looking for a better work-life balance.
The future of chimney sweeps
The situation seems tense for the future of chimney sweeps. The Central Association of German Chimney Sweeps (ZDS) estimates that between 750 and 1,000 sweeping areas could remain unoccupied in the next 12 years. To counteract this, the chimney sweeps' guild has taken measures to upgrade and modernize the job profile. Today, chimney sweeps are not only responsible for sweeping, but are also sought-after energy experts who check smoke detectors and offer consulting services to optimize energy efficiency.
The situation requires the remaining chimney sweeps to increase their workload. At the same time, there are fears that this could lead to a loss of safety as there will be fewer district chimney sweeps available. This makes it clear how important it is to effectively counteract the shortage of skilled workers and to further promote training in the chimney sweep trade.
For anyone interested in more information about chimney sweep training, please visit the website ZDS Comprehensive materials that help aspiring chimney sweeps to best prepare for their future in this exciting and important profession.