Unversified learning opportunities reportedly leaving millions of young Germans without proper education.
Title: Missing Skills: Germany Struggles with a Generational Lack of Vocational Training
By S.A. Frenemy
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The ongoing lack of qualified workers in Germany is causing concern as millions of young people are forgoing vocational training or higher education. The number of these young, untrained individuals has been steadily rising for years - a problematic situation considering Germany's demand for skilled workers. But fear not, as there are silver linings to this cloud.
Last year, there were a staggering 1.6 million young adults aged 20 to 34 without qualifications. That's right, folks - over a million individuals without the necessary skills to contribute to Germany's workforce. Every year, the percentage increases - in the last 12 years, a whopping 460,000 young people have been added to this pool, according to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).
The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) paints an even grimmer picture, estimating that 2.8 million young adults do not have a vocational qualification, meaning that almost every fifth in this age group is left out of the skilled workforce. The discrepancy arises because BIBB's statistics encompass all young adults in this age range, while IAB only considers those who are employed.
Privacy Matters The skills shortage is particularly problematic when one considers the shortage of qualified workers: Germany is consistently short of approximately over 530,000 skilled workers across the nation. Within the next two years, another 200,000 skilled workers will be needed, bringing the total deficit to an estimated 730,000 by 2027, according to the Institute of the German Economy.
A Detour in School
The problem starts early in a young person's education. Every year, tens of thousands of young individuals complete school without a qualification: in 2021, a whopping 47,500 students did not even earn their main school-leaving certificate. That's roughly six percent of all students. Without a school-leaving certificate, job prospects for apprenticeships are grim: data suggests that three-quarters of young people without vocational training also lack a school-leaving certificate.
The Refugee Factor
One significant reason for the increasing number of young people without training is immigration. In 2020, around 45 percent of 20- to 34-year-old refugees from asylum countries such as Syria or Afghanistan had no vocational qualification, according to an IAB study. The proportion is also on the rise among young people from other EU countries, as well as young Germans.
However, this does not mean that immigrants are less educated, but rather that many come from completely different education systems than Germany. Unfortunately, Germany's unique vocational training system often prevents these individuals from fully utilizing their potential in the German labor market, leading them to work below their abilities.
To combat this issue, stronger integration measures into the labor market are needed. Efforts should focus on recognizing competencies and further developing them in a job-appropriate manner, ultimately leading to qualified individuals.
Choosing the Easy Money
Another reason for the apprenticeship shortage is that some young people opt to work directly after school, often taking unskilled helper jobs to earn money sooner. The initial pay is often higher than that of an apprentice, primarily because the minimum wage has risen.
Schools Must Adapt
More should be done for training, including low-threshold offers where individuals can complete certain modules in a flexible training format parallel to the job, ultimately achieving final qualification after a few years in a part-time job. Enhanced career guidance and career orientation are also essential. Companies must be more present in schools and at fairs, as well as offer practical experiences such as company visits, student projects, or internships.
Online communication through social media is crucial as well, as companies and young people often miss each other on traditional communication channels. With more online communication on the right platforms, another problem might be solved: young people only know a fraction of the available training professions, some of which offer higher salaries in the long term.
Companies Get Creative
In 2023, over 73,000 training places went unfilled in Germany, marking a record high for companies struggling to find suitable applicants. Many companies attribute this to a lack of qualified applicants, and some also struggle with apprentices suddenly dropping out - approximately every fourth company with unfilled training places encounters this "ghosting."
Companies could attract more applicants by advertising their open positions through channels like YouTube, WhatsApp, and TikTok. Unfortunately, data suggests that three-quarter of companies advertise their open positions on Facebook, while only a quarter of young people search there, according to a survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Institute of the German Economy.
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*Data protection Source: ntv.de
- Institute of the German Economy Cologne
- Bertelsmann Foundation
- Social Networks
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Apprentices
- Universities
- Application
- School
- Profession
- IAB
- The lack of vocational training among young Germans is causing concern, with over 1.6 million individuals aged 20 to 34 lacking the necessary skills for the workforce, according to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).
- The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) estimates that almost every fifth young adult aged 20 to 34 in Germany does not have a vocational qualification.
- The ongoing shortage of skilled workers in Germany stands at approximately 730,000, with the need for another 200,000 skilled workers by 2027, according to the Institute of the German Economy.
- A lack of awareness about available training professions is a problem, as young people often miss opportunities on traditional communication channels and might prefer high-paying unskilled jobs over vocational training.
- To address these issues, efforts could be made to provide flexible training formats, enhance career guidance, and use online communication platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp, and TikTok to attract more applicants for apprenticeships.
