Training facilities in Neuss and Kaarst facing strain: 119 training spots in Rhine district Neuss under pressure
In the Rhein-Kreis Neuss, the job market is not offering favourable conditions for young people, according to Claudia Hempel, head of NGG Krefeld-Neuss. The economy in the region needs to better prepare for the upcoming apprenticeship year, Hempel adds.
Hempel has expressed concern about a "dangerous trend" in the decrease of apprenticeship opportunities for less-educated youth. To address this issue, she calls for increased support for young people preparing for apprenticeships. This support would involve employment agencies, job centers, and companies working together to provide guidance and resources.
Starting from August, young people will have the right to an apprenticeship, either in a company or through external training. To ensure this right is realised, Germany has implemented a multi-layered support system.
One key component of this system is the mentoring system (Berufseinstiegsbegleitung), which provides personalised guidance to young people at risk of leaving school without a qualification or struggling to secure apprenticeships. The mentoring system also supports those in the early stages of training or facing personal difficulties that may hinder their success.
Another important aspect is pre-vocational training schemes (Berufsvorbereitende Bildungsmaßnahme, BvB). This program prepares young people with weaker educational backgrounds by combining practical in-company traineeships with theoretical instruction, improving their readiness for apprenticeships.
The apprenticeship guarantee (Jugendgarantie), aligned with the EU Youth Guarantee, is another crucial part of the support system. Germany commits to ensuring that all young people under 30 receive a quality offer of apprenticeship, employment, traineeship, or further training soon after leaving school. This guarantee helps mitigate the risk of youth unemployment and facilitates timely access to vocational training opportunities.
To further incentivise companies to offer apprenticeships, Hempel proposes the creation of a co-financed apprenticeship guarantee fund. In this system, companies would contribute to a fund, and those that train apprentices would receive a significant portion of the costs back, such as for apprentice wages.
In addition to these measures, Hempel suggests the implementation of "apprentice mentors" to inspire and support young people, offering additional resources like tutoring if needed.
This summer, young people will have additional support from Berlin, with the approval of an apprenticeship guarantee by the Bundestag. The apprenticeship guarantee approved by the Bundestag in Berlin will provide additional support for young people starting from August.
With these measures in place, Germany aims to foster smoother transitions into the labor market via apprenticeships for young people with only basic education, acting as a systemic safety net and ensuring such young people receive tailored support and real opportunities to start vocational careers.
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Economic and social policy must focus on increasing apprenticeship opportunities for less-educated youth, as their current circumstances are not favorable in the job market. To achieve this, Hempel advocates for collaborative efforts among employment agencies, job centers, and companies to provide guidance and resources.
Personal-growth and career-development can be boosted through the implementation of apprentice mentors and skills-training programs, such as the mentoring system and pre-vocational training schemes, which offer tailored support for young people at risk of leaving school without a qualification or struggling to secure apprenticeships.
