The SPD Minister of Labor has announced that employees will in future receive longer training or further education from the job center. He is also planning a “training guarantee” for school leavers.
According to the will of Federal Minister of Labor Heil, employees in Germany should in future be able to receive paid training during their careers. “We will enable an educational period in Germany based on the Austrian model,” said Heil (SPD) of the German Press Agency. The minister would like to introduce the training period and other measures with a further training law.
The law should be passed in the federal cabinet in the next few weeks and give employees additional opportunities in view of the shortage of skilled workers in Germany, said Heil. In Austria, employees can take a career break for a maximum of one year for training or further education – or part-time training for up to two years. Anyone who takes such “educational leave” can receive further education allowance. In Germany, too, employees should be able to do one year of professional training if they and the employer agree.
“This can also be organized as part-time training in two years,” Heil continues. “Maintenance is ensured through funds from the Federal Employment Agency, at the level of unemployment benefit, i.e. 60 percent for single people, 67 percent with children.” You kill two birds with one stone and support the employees to develop further, also to move up. “And you secure the skilled labor base because new qualifications will be in demand in many sectors.”
Travel expenses for internships and trainees should make them more mobile
According to Heil, the further education law will include a “training guarantee”. Every young person should have the opportunity to get an education. “To do this, we promote mobility and career orientation for young people, for example.” Because there are big regional differences. “In regions with full employment, companies sometimes cannot find any trainees. In structurally weak regions, young people who are looking for an apprenticeship are writing their fingers sore.” Mobility support for internships should help. Travel expenses would be supported if someone had to commute to another region.
“Currently, around 45,000 students leave school every year without a degree,” said Heil. “And we have 1.3 million people between 20 and 30 without initial vocational training.” Today you often see these people in the job centers. “We will change that,” announced Heil. “With the new citizens’ allowance, we make it possible to catch up on school and vocational qualifications.”
According to Heil at the Federal Employment Agency, the financial volume of the Further Education Act is to amount to around 771 million euros annually by 2026. 190 million euros are to come from the federal budget. On the other hand, there would be income from contributions and taxes through the creation of employment.