Carving Out a Climb in Apprenticeship Contracts
The numbers are up: last year saw a 2.1% surge in vocational training contracts, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office. This uptick has kept the trajectory of vocational training contracts from teetering towards a downward spiral since the pandemic-induced dip in 2020. Nevertheless, a retrospective examination uncovers that the overall number of new vocational training contracts still hovers far below the figures recorded a decade ago.
Statistics show that 479,800 individuals opted for new training contracts in 2023. Of this number, about 36% were women, while the balance 64% were men. A striking increase of 9% in training contracts was witnessed among trainees with non-German nationalities, accounting for 13% of all fresh contracts.
The list of top-five occupations, accounting for approximately 20% of the total, remained unchanged, but shuffled slightly in position. Retail merchant (m/f) fell to third place, while office management merchant (m/f) and motor vehicle mechatronics technician (m/f) bagged the top positions. Salesperson (m/f) and IT specialist (m/f) took the fourth and fifth spots respectively.
However, a decade-long comparison proves that despite the present growth, the number of new contracts has seen a 8% drop when contrasted with the figures of 2013.
Among the companies grappling with filling up their training spots for the 2023-2024 cycle, 44% struggle with finding the right candidates to fulfill their needs.
With a fresh analysis of vocational training contracts in 2023 published in 2023 itself, the year bore witness to a 2.1% increase in vocational contracts. Despite this progress, the overall number of new vocational training contracts remains substantially lower when compared to ten years ago with a drop of 8% from 2013.
So, What's New in Vocational Training?
- The demand for dual training positions has hit a low of under 600,000 for the first time, mirroring demographic trends and changes in the job market.
- Training allowances, based on collective wage agreements, witnessed an average increase of 3.8% to €939 gross per month in 2019, mimicking the growth of 2018.
- The cultural heritage of the craft trades has gained significance in Germany, resulting in the introduction of nationally standardized advanced training regulations for the qualification of “Certified restorer in the craft trades” in 19 different trades.
- Inter-company training centers and organizations can apply under the “Career Orientation for Refugees” program, potentially extending till the end of 2021.
- The German-African Business Association and iMOVE organized the 1st German-African Forum on Vocational Training and Education, presenting successful examples of German-African cooperation in various sectors.
- Nearly 280,000 applications have been filed for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, reflecting the globalization of vocational training.
- Six training films are available in seven languages, including German, English, Russian, Farsi, French, Italian, and Spanish, to empower trainers and vocational school teachers in preparing skilled workers.
In summary, while the requirement for dual training positions has lowered, the emphasis on vocational training remains strong. The trend is driven by demographic shifts and the need to sustain a qualified workforce. However, these extra statistics only pertain to the overall state of vocational training and not the growth or decline in new vocational training contracts by gender or nationality. To gather more specific information, one would need to consult reports or databases from organizations like the Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB) or the German Federal Statistical Office.
