Agricultural Businesses Clash Harshly with Apprentices
The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) has recently published a survey about apprentices, based on responses from around 15,000 companies. The survey highlights several main concerns and findings about apprenticeships in Germany.
- Declining Offers of Training Positions
More than a quarter (26%) of companies plan to reduce the number of apprenticeship positions in 2025, reflecting economic pressures and a challenging labor market environment. This marks a continuation of a downward trend in available trainee spots.
- Difficulty Finding Qualified Applicants
Although many companies struggle to find suitable apprentices, the shortage is not primarily due to a lack of applications but rather a mismatch between company requirements and applicant qualifications. Around 75% of companies with vacancies in 2024 reported not finding adequately qualified candidates.
- Changing Aspirations Among Youth
One in five young people (aged 14-25) prefer to enter the workforce immediately after school rather than pursue apprenticeships or university education. A significant share believes others expect them to start working without formal training, impacting apprenticeship uptake.
- Need for Better Career Guidance
The DIHK stresses the importance of mandatory career counseling in schools to improve young people's awareness of apprenticeship opportunities, particularly among those with lower educational attainment. This is deemed necessary to counter misinformation about apprenticeship pay and benefits.
- Apprenticeship Pay and Reputation
Contrary to some perceptions, apprenticeship wages have improved substantially, averaging €1,133 monthly in companies with collective agreements in 2024. Increasing awareness of these better wages is seen as key to attracting trainees.
- Importance of Work and Social Skills
Employers emphasize that good work ethic and social skills are critical minimum requirements, valued by 92% of companies, alongside basic cognitive ability which 86% consider important for trainees.
- Calls for Companies to Train More
The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) urges companies to increase their training capacity and open opportunities to young people with lower educational qualifications. Currently, fewer than 19% of German companies offer training positions, a figure that is declining.
The survey also reveals problems in certain sectors, such as hospitality, transport, and retail, where language problems are particularly prevalent. Achim Dercks, deputy head of the DIHK, states that many young people lack basic skills at the start of their training. Mental performance, such as concentration, self-motivation, and the ability to handle criticism, is often lacking among apprentices.
In sum, the DIHK survey reveals a training market affected by economic downturn, a mismatch between apprentice supply and employer demands, and the shifting preferences of young people. It underscores the need for enhanced career guidance, better communication about apprenticeship benefits, and increased commitment by companies to maintain and expand training places.
- Despite the declining offers of training positions, companies are having difficulty finding adequately qualified applicants for their business careers, highlighting the need for skills-training and education-and-self-development initiatives.
- One possible solution to this issue could be the implementation of mandatory career counseling in schools to provide better career development opportunities and promote the benefits of apprenticeships for personal-growth and career-development.
- With many young people showing a preference for entering the workforce immediately after school instead of pursuing apprenticeships or university education, there is a growing need for job-search resources that emphasize the advantages of apprenticeships in terms of leadership, finance, and industry-specific skills.
- In light of these challenges, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) calls on companies to increase their training capacity and provide opportunities for young people with lower educational qualifications, helping to build a more inclusive and skilled workforce for the future.
- To further improve the quality of apprenticeships, it is crucial for companies to focus on developing work ethic and social skills in trainees in addition to cognitive abilities, as these will play an essential role in their success within the organization and their future career development.
