Training in Germany often starts out promising, but then disappoints young people. This is the result of a study by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). In the first year of training, two thirds would still recommend their company. The value then continues to fall and in the fourth year of training it is less than half.
According to the study that the Institute for Social Education Research in Mainz prepared for the trade union, there are many reasons for this. These are, for example, problems with digitization. “Politicians and employers have to do a lot more to ensure that dual training also works in the digital age,” says DGB Federal Youth Secretary Kristof Becker. Digitization experienced a boost during the corona pandemic, but was then neglected again. As a result, only a fifth of the trainees always have the necessary technical equipment at their disposal. Therefore, they often have to resort to their own devices. This in turn affects equal opportunities. For example, if you don’t own a laptop or tablet yourself, you risk falling behind. At the vocational schools, the majority of those surveyed felt mediocre to poorly prepared for dealing with digital media.
Elke Hannack, deputy chairwoman of the DGB, holds the federal government responsible for this. “The pact for vocational schools provided for in the coalition agreement must not fall victim to the current austerity policy,” demands the trade unionist. More money is needed for training concepts, the teaching buildings, teachers and digital equipment. According to the study, almost half of the trainees have the impression that their teachers do not have enough time for them. The quality of the teaching is rated by many as “satisfactory” at best. If they didn’t try a lot harder than contractually stipulated, “it would look a lot worse here,” says youth spokesman Kristof Becker.
Instead of office training, a young man is supposed to fry burgers
In addition to the figures, the training report also includes reports from trainees from the DGB forum “Dr. Azubi”. In one case, a prospective office management clerk reported that he was away from the office at least two days a week, instead having to work in the kitchen at his boss’s new burger restaurant. He also had to clean the boss’s basement after a flood. 12.7 percent of the trainees have to do such “non-training activities” more often or even always. The differences between different types of companies are large. Aspiring bank clerks almost never have to do such tasks, but aspiring hairdressers almost a quarter of the time.
Regular overtime is more common than such violations of training contracts. Almost a third of the trainees reported about it. Often these are neither remunerated nor compensated by time off. “On the other hand, only stricter controls and more consistent tracking by the supervisory authorities can help,” says Becker. In serious cases, the DGB youth also more frequently calls for appropriate sanctions, up to and including withdrawal of the training entitlement. But even now only a few companies train, Hannack speaks of “less than a fifth” of the companies.
In their eyes, this problem will not be solved by the training guarantee, which is to apply from 2024. Instead, according to the DGB deputy head, it would make more sense to better distribute training costs between companies. Companies that do not provide training then have to pay into a fund. Training companies then receive an annual subsidy to cover the additional costs. Such a law is already planned in Bremen. However, the chambers are complaining about this and criticizing the additional burden. In its own training survey, the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce emphasizes that many companies want to provide training but cannot find any applicants. When looking for trainees, the companies surveyed tackle a number of areas that the DGB youth criticize. Almost half want to spend more money on technical equipment. For young people who initially have difficulties with the training, there are also tutoring programs in almost a third of the companies.
The DGB and the chambers also agree on one approach: They are calling for more internships for schoolchildren. “It’s about getting a realistic insight into everyday training. In this way, they can make a conscious decision for or against a training occupation,” says Hannack. The DIHK suggests using the weeks before the summer holidays more for this.